Pavlova nice and high, but not crisp :-( , could i

karma6, Dec 31, 7:20pm
put it under the grill lol. Has been in the oven over night.
kernal1, Jan 1, 9:30pm
Next time put your pav in a hotter oven, turn down after 5 mins, even less, keep an eye on it. This will set your 'crust' on the outside. Mine go in at 150 and turn down to 100 for approx 1 1/2hrs.
marcs, Jan 2, 8:41am
Mine go in in at 200c for 2 minutes then turn down to 100c for hour and a bit. Don't open the door though at all till it is completely cold. Best to leave it overnight.
kaddiew, Dec 22, 4:14pm
Reviving this thread.

Last week I made one of the chuck-it-all-in-together 4 egg pavs and it turned out perfect, with crunchy outside and marshmallow inside.

Today I've just made Donna Hay's standard-looking 4 egg pav. Did everything right: room temperature eggs, stiff glossy peaks, sugar added gradually with no grit left, 150C turned down to 125 (I made it 110), for 1 hr 20 mins. It held its shape and looks fabulous - but is all marshmallow, with no crisp outer at all. I've even cooked it a bit longer to no avail. Will leave in the oven to cool but can't see it crisping up at all. Where did I go wrong!
kaddiew, Dec 22, 4:14pm
Reviving this thread.

Last week I made one of the chuck-it-all-in-together 4 egg pavs and it turned out perfect, with crunchy outside and marshmallow inside.

Today I've just made Donna Hay's standard-looking 4 egg pav. Did everything right: room temperature eggs, stiff glossy peaks, sugar added gradually with no grit left, 150C turned down to 125 (I made it 110), for 1 hr 20 mins. It held its shape and looks fabulous - but is all marshmallow, with no crisp outer at all. I've even cooked it a bit longer to no avail. Will leave in the oven to cool but can't see it crisping up at all. Where did I go wrong!TIA
fifie, Dec 22, 4:31pm
Have 2 recipes i use, one is a soft pav for those that like it that way, other one is throw it all together and beat for a crispy outside, some like it better,Kaddiew sounds like recipe you made is a soft one,it will be yummy when you cream and decorate it.
kaddiew, Dec 22, 4:45pm
Thanks Fifie. Trouble is, according to the recipe, the one I made that's turned out all soft, is meant to have a crisp outside. I'll still use it, but back to the drawing board!
fifie, Dec 22, 8:14pm
Sounds like its your oven temp as #3 said, i vary mine depending who likes what lol, if it goes in at 190C then gets turned down after few mins has a slight crunch on outside middle is marshmallow, If i want it really soft all over like those ones you buy it goes in at 150c then turned down. Ovens can vary also.
kaddiew, Dec 23, 4:01am
I even tried another recipe this afternoon, with high heat to start with, and same thing happened - soft outside. I've been making pavs for decades (but first time in this oven) and never had a problem before. For once I'll blame the oven - or maybe the awful humidity.I give up!
eastie3, Dec 23, 5:19pm
I don't know if it's your oven kaddiew, but I do know from experience that humidity is the enemy of a good pav.

Merry Christmas.
fifie, Dec 23, 5:55pm
Oh dear, hate making pav's in a strange oven, and humidity dosen't help either. Never forgotten a trip to DD in oz, she wanted a pav madeha ha we never even got the egg whites to beat let alone a pav in the oven, humidity was to high. Enjoy the ones youve made, Merry Xmas.
kaddiew, Dec 23, 8:40pm
I wasn't about to be beaten, so got up super early this morning and made yet another one (I now have so many yolks !). This time it seems to have worked - by accident. I turned off the beeping oven timer but forgot to turn off the oven, so it had an extra 45-60 mins before I twigged. It looks perfect. Note to self: humidity = almost double the cooking time to get it crisp.

Merry Xmas :)
eastie3, Dec 24, 2:24am
Now you tell me! My never-fail pav is soft and flat not exactly a triumph. Still, a bit of cream on top and all will be well.
Merry Xmas to you too.
arabelle, Dec 25, 12:22pm
Good to read others are having problems, but can accept that the whole of NZ[nth is] is having humidity problems. I have some very gooey mess here, but finally just made some littlepavs and ate them the moment they came out of the oven so didnt have time to melt!
and found a great recipe for using the yolks, so nothing wasted, but lots of cookies now in the freezer.
kaddiew, Dec 25, 1:46pm
Oh no! It's demoralising when that happens. Just reporting back that my accidentally very crisp pav (from forgetting the timer) worked a treat, stayed crisp in a sealed container for 24 hours before creaming - and I got a text from the recipient saying it was the best Xmas pav he'd ever tasted.Humidity will NOT beat me again!:)