Pavlova [Was: Australian/NZ cooks please]

[Phred]

G'day Daisy,

For total confusion (assuming replies to date haven't quite succeeded
in creating that :) may I suggest you ask in the newly created group
aus.food? [Which I've cross-posted this to].

However, I'm not entirely sure any of the inaugural residents of
aus.food will be up to offering reliable advice on pavlovas. ;-)

Pavlova
Hi there - I recorded a mini pavlova recipe from a top NZ restaurant
cook the other day and followed the recipe diligently. I don't need
to describe the method - it's fairly standard. It was the cooking
that was the problem. The recipe required 30mins at 150 deg C and
then reduced to 130 deg C for a further 30 mins. Remove.
No oven option was mentioned. I cooked them on fan force.
They cracked all over the place. The insides were nice and
marshmallowy but the shapes had gone.
I want to know if I should have cooked them using the conventional
oven method and not anything to do with the fan.
Be glad of any help guys.

Cheers, Phred.

[Aussie Lurker]

Hi there - I recorded a mini pavlova recipe from a top NZ restaurant
cook the other day and followed the recipe diligently. I don't need
to describe the method - it's fairly standard. It was the cooking
that was the problem. The recipe required 30mins at 150 deg C and
then reduced to 130 deg C for a further 30 mins. Remove.
No oven option was mentioned. I cooked them on fan force.
They cracked all over the place. The insides were nice and
marshmallowy but the shapes had gone.
I want to know if I should have cooked them using the conventional
oven method and not anything to do with the fan.
Be glad of any help guys.

The oven temps and times mentioned are longer than I cook my large pavs for.
I use a conventional oven and I do a large pav with 6 egg whites at 150 for
15 mins and then 100 for 45 mins and then turn the oven off and leave in
there until cold.

I would suggest not using the fan and trying 150 for 15 mins and then 130
for 15 mins and then turning the oven off and leaving there for an hour or
so. It has taken me a while to get the results I wanted.

Good luck.

Aussie Lurker