Why did my pav completely implode!

tahnasha, Apr 22, 7:02am
Used the Edmonds recipe. Beat for ages. Looked really awesome, had the oven on 150 c. Actually in the oven it was a masterpiece!

Timed it for 45 mins, then turned oven off, and door ajar. Went out, came home, it was cooled and collapsed

alebix, Apr 22, 7:15am
Sorry, but they do that... .

Mine do...

harrislucinda, Apr 22, 7:18am
i made this theotherdaybutthoughttemp was too hotstartedtobrown so turnoffafterthathappenedafterabout5minandlefted togo coldandwasrealniceso next timedont have oven tohot

fifie, Apr 22, 7:23am
Some do thatif oven to hot, leave it in oven to cool completely door ajar then turn it upside down on your platecream it and decorate and all should be good.

alebix, Apr 22, 7:38am
I just cover mine in cream and fruit etc and it all tastes good.

I asked on another food forum about this when it happened to me...
Helen Jackson (NZWW food editor) said it always will happen...
Homemade pavs dont turn out like store bought ones. But taste way better than store bought ones...

maria121, Apr 22, 7:44am
I use Nigella's recipe. It never fails and tastes amazing! ! !

lizab, Apr 22, 7:50am
mine do that too - every time! I've tried doing all sorts of things to try and stop it (older eggs, new eggs, room temp eggs and cold eggs, warming the sugar, making the pav mix more quickly or more slowly, oven temps lower and higher, leaving in oven to cool, taking out to cool etc etc) I think some people have the pavlova gene and it ain't me! ! ! boohoo! !

macandrosie, Apr 22, 7:59am
I think you are best to use older eggs @ room temp not straight from the fridge. Under no circumstances should you open the oven door until pav is compleltely cold!

korbo, Apr 22, 8:34am
have often wondered if you made the merangue recipe and just piled it in a heap like a pav. anyone tried it.

lilyfield, Apr 22, 8:35am
longer and lower cooking--totally cooling in oven

melissa411, Apr 22, 8:44am
Hey, I made 4 pavs today and they all came out crunchy on the outside and real mellowy in the middle. Heres the recipe:

4 egg whites and 1 1/4 cups sugar, beat for 10mins on high. Then mix together 1 tbsp cornflour, 1 tsp vanilla ess and 1 tsp vinegar. Add this to the mixture and beat for a further 4 mins. Put on a tray in a 20cm circle and put in a pre-heated oven at 180, reduce to 100 and bake for 1 hr, turn oven off and let completely cool before taking out of oven.

I make 2 and spread one with lemon honey and cream and put the other on top with more cream and passionfriut pulp. Simply devine.

harrislucinda, Apr 22, 9:11am
yes all down to the temp ofthe oven 150 isstillhotas melissa411heroven was only 100

tahnasha, Apr 22, 9:13am
OK, might try another one. Mine not only imploded but cracked, there's a hole in it, but now looks like a high pancake. In the oven in truely looked spectacular! Was high, had perfect sides, I can't understand what happened.

Will have enough go I spose. I beat it for 8 minutes to form stiff peaks, but recipe said to beat slowly once you've put other ingredients in, which I didn't.

Back to the drawing board

wasala, Apr 22, 9:19am
I posted about a sad pav experience on Sunday - but it had a happy ending! http://www.trademe.co.nz/Community/MessageBoard/Messages. asp
x? id=255974
Some lucky people can make stunning homemade pavs. My nana's were legendary!

alebix, Apr 22, 9:21am
The recipe I use has 6 egg whites in it... .

It still implodes even though I cook it at 100c.

I pile mine high, about 4 inches high... it will drop about an inch.
But its still mallowy on the inside and has a lovely crust on it...

candice6, Apr 22, 9:39am
i use edmonds but sometimes just do it with 2 eggs once u start adding ingredients dont over mix and pile it all on top of itself dont fiddle with it its all about trying to keep the air in the mixture hope this helps

deus701, Apr 23, 4:10am
It sounds like you overbeat it. It will look high and nice in the oven as the air expands but once it cools, the structure will collapse. If it's cracked, it means the oven is too hot.

I start beating my egg whites with a pinch of salt at high speed for less than a minute to get some volume going. Then add abit of the sugar to stabilise the structure, beat until soft peak then add in the rest of the sugar gradually while beating at medium speed until glossy and stiff.

My total beating time is 5minutes or less.

tahnasha, Apr 23, 4:38am
Mine was really high too, but I did fiddle with it alot to get it looking perfect. And I beat it for 8 minutes with the egg whites and a little bit of white vinegar, and then on high for another 4-5 mins when I'd added everything else. So I try it another way next time. Thanks guys

deus701, Apr 23, 12:18pm
If you like to try a pavlova roll I can post up a recipe. Its filled with passionfruit cream. . oh so good.

runeaholics, Apr 24, 1:06am
You left it at 150C for too long - usually I would put them for about 8-10 minutes (depending on the size) at 150C, then turning the oven down to 90C, leaving the door open for about 10 minutes, then closing it and leaving a small gap for the remainder of the time (30-40 mins).

Did you beat the egg whites until stiff enough?
There could be other reasons - did you leave the mixture standing for too long before you put it in the oven to be baked?

My family likes cookie sized pavs - so I've never made a huge one before. The times about are for cookie sized ones, so I'm not too sure how they would work with a big pav. :)
Good luck next time though!

liamjosh, Apr 24, 1:16am
I never leave the door ajar as I find this causes them to flop, the sudden inrush of cooler air. I always do mine at night and then leave them overnight to cool in the oven. And I always turn the oven off after 15 - 20 mins and let them cook in the heat thats already in the oven.

runeaholics, Feb 28, 1:03am
I think it also depends on the type of oven as well.