Cornflour In Pavlova | Ask Nigella.com (2024)

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Cornflour In Pavlova | Ask Nigella.com? ›

Our answer. Nigella's pavlovas, such as Lemon Pavlova (from SIMPLY NIGELLA), contain cornflour (cornstarch) in the meringue. The cornflour helps the meringue to stay soft in the centre, to give the contrast of crisp crust and marshmallowy interior.

According to *the internet* cornflour helps keep your pavlova base chewy or marshmallowy but I personally disagree. According to Anneka Manning, the role of the cornflour is to “Cornflour stabilises egg whites during baking and prevents weeping by stopping the egg white bonds from tightening too much”.

While this old family recipe is made without cornstarch, some say it helps to absorb any extra moisture, keeping the meringue completely dry, which could be especially helpful in humid environments. If you'd like to add it, I recommend stirring 2 teaspoons into the sugar before adding it to the egg whites.

“Keep in mind, though, that too much cornflour can give the meringue an unpleasant chalkiness – often found in commercially made meringues. Generally, one teaspoon per eggwhite is a good amount to add.” Adding an acidic ingredient also stabilises the eggwhite foam and can prevent problems such as a mixture that splits.

A secret ingredient: corn starch

Corn starch molecules also provide more hold for meringue. It will be easier to cut and is less likely to weep.

Cornflour is used to stabilise the egg whites during baking which reduces the possibility of the pavlova weeping. A rough guide is to use a small amount, approx. one teaspoon per egg white. Too much cornflour will give your pavlova an unpleasant chalky texture.

@Catija is correct, cornflour and cornstarch are the same, a fine, powdery material made from the endosperm of the corn kernel and used as a thickening agent. If it's not available, you could substitute arrowroot, in the same amount as the recipe calls for the cornstarch.

The secret to a good, crisp pavlova is in the drying of the meringue after cooking. If there is a lot of moisture in the air, whether from humidity or even other cooking you are doing in the kitchen, you will have problems. That's why the “Pavlova Nazi” in me insists on no boiling saucepans during pav time.

What ruins a meringue? ›

In a meringue recipe, such as Nigella's Mini Pavlovas (from Domestic Goddess and on the Nigella website), the vinegar is added as it helps to stabilize the whisked egg whites and helps the meringue mixture to hold the air whisked in to it.

You may be thinking why not just leave the pav in the oven for longer to ensure that the middle is cooked. Unfortunately there is one major problem associated with leaving the pav in the oven for too long - weeping pavs. Weeping can occur when the middle of the pav has dried out too much.

Use fresh egg whites. Old egg whites tend to collapse when other ingredients are folded in, and they don't rise well in the oven. Use eggs at room temperature. Cold egg whites tend to reduce meringue volume.

Acid is often added to regular meringues, as well as pavlovas. The cornflour (cornstarch) added at the end of the meringue making is there partly as an additional stabiliser for the egg whites, but also to give the pavlova base its soft, marshmallow centre.

It is also possible to use lemon juice or cream of tartar as alternatives. Both of these should be used in the same quantity as the vinegar, for this particular recipe 1 teaspoon. Cream of tartar is sometimes known as tartaric acid.

1. All-purpose flour: You can thicken sauces with all-purpose wheat flour. For every tablespoon of cornstarch, use three tablespoons of flour. Combine raw flour with cold water in a small bowl to form a paste, then add it into the sauce as it's simmering.

Egg whites can be over whisked & sugar will not dissolve in over whisked egg whites. I've noticed on a lot of stand mixers that the stated speed for whisking egg whites is nearly full bore. If you whisk them at this set speed you will not have enough time to add the sugar before the egg whites are over whisked.