Geoff Jansz set up a barbecue on Fort Denison, Sydney Harbour, and demonstrated how to make a true blue Aussie pavlova featuring bush fruits.

Ingredients (makes 4 individual pavlovas)

• 3 eggwhites
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• lemon juice
• 3 teaspoons cornflour
• vanilla essence
• Australian bush fruits (such as muntharis, riberries, quandongs, wild rosellas) or seasonal fruits
• whipped cream
  

Method

1. Beat the eggwhites until soft peaks form. Add the caster sugar gradually, beating well until all the sugar has dissolved.
2. While mixing, add a few drops of lemon juice, the cornflour and a couple of drops of very good vanilla essence.
3. Take about a quarter of the mixture at a time and spread onto baking paper, ready for baking.
4. If you're using a barbecue (you need one with a hood) turn the burners on to LOW and heat to 150°C. Many hoods have a thermometer gauge built in, but if you don’t have a built-in gauge, use an oven thermometer. Adjust the burners until you have the desired temperature.
5. Soak a terracotta tile in water for around 30 minutes then wipe off excess moisture. Place the tile in the heated barbecue and place the baking paper and mixture on the tile. The pav is cooked when it takes on a meringue-like appearance (between 45-90 minutes). Tip: Don’t check too often as you need to keep the heat inside the hood. Once cooked, turn the barbecue off and leave the meringue under the hood to cool.
6. Once the pavlova bases have cooled, spread each one with whipped cream and top with either seasonal fruits or, for a truly Aussie experience, with native Australian fruits in syrup.

Note: You don’t need a barbecue to make this recipe. Follow steps 1-3 then place the mixture on a baking tray and pop into a conventional oven pre-heated to 150°C. Cooking time is the same as the barbecue, but check at 30 minutes. Once cooked, turn off the oven and leave the meringue inside to cool. Now follow step 6.

Further information

National Parks & Wildlife Service conduct tours to Fort Denison. For more information phone (02) 9247 5033. Fort Denison Cafe opens during tours and for private functions. For details phone (02) 9268 1115. Terracotta tiles can be bought individually from tile and paving stores for around $2 each. Bush fruits and edibles are available from speciality stockists, such as the ones listed below.

NSW

The Essential Ingredient
Camperdown
Phone: (02) 9550 5477

Vic Cherikoff Food Services
Kingsgrove
Phone: (02) 9554 9477
Web: www.cherikoff.net

Edna's Table, Sydney
Web: www.ednastable.com.au

Kurrajong Australian Native Foods
Kurrajong
Phone: (02) 4567 7000
Web: www.bushtuckershop.com

Rainforest Foods
Unit 2/12 Bayshore Drive
Byron Bay NSW 2481
Web: www.rainforestfoods.com.au

SA

Australian Native Produce
Adelaide
Phone: (08) 8342 5099

Shoalmarra
Australia's largest quandong plantation and a wholesaler and retailer of quandong products.
Tumby Bay
Phone: (08) 8688 2700
Web: www.shoalmarra.com.au

QLD

Australian Native Foods Management Ltd
Airlie Beach
Phone: (07) 4947 3369
Web: www.anfm.com.au

Longreach Bush Tucker
Longreach
Phone: (07) 4658 3873

VIC

The Essential Ingredient
Prahran
Phone: (03) 9827 9047

Australian Harvest Fine Foods Pty Ltd
Lilydale
Phone: 1800 688 150

Selected Coles supermarkets carry a range of products such as native chutneys, jams, spices and relishes.

Copyright CTC Productions 2003