Low sugar or sugar free AUSTRALIA DAY desserts, *S*

[*jo*]

Cheers Karen, I followed your Mum's directions as they are the ones I followed from my Mum, to a tee.  The consistancy was absolutely perfect, incredibly light, more so than a normal meringue, perhaps that is a problem?  I found the egg whites to be perfectly airated, having made "normal" pavlovas previously they compared. 

I am thinking perhaps the equal doesn't have the weight of sugar or the abitlity to retain it's form when heated and then cooled.

Perhaps the lack of air flow does make a difference with the original recipe which makes sense.  I think I am just disappointed that it was perfect...for an hour...perhaps I should be happy with perfection even if it does last only an hour LOL

[brazen20au]

what about making half the mix at a time?

[UnConundrum]

I don't do much in the way of desserts, but I'm thinking the dissolved sugar adds some crystalline structure to the egg whites, helping to support it once baked. 

[*jo*]

Doing half may help as the four egg whites really do beat up very high, worth considering, good idea, thanks

Yes, I was thinking of substituting a small amount of sugar for the equal, the crystalization must make a difference, it does in any baking and overall a couple of tablespoons in a whole dessert won't make a big difference to my sons sugar levels.

It just shouldn't be this difficult

[Thermomixer]

It may be better to aim for a wider, flatter pav -  so it hasn't got so far to fall??  But same taste.

Another idea would be to make little meringue nests with some with equal - maybe a different colour - add some cochineal.  And some ordinary - too much trouble

Maybe cook at a slower temp so that it doesn't rise so much but dries out the mixture.  Pavs are cooked slowly, but low as you can go to avoid the air bubles in the mix expanding too much, then collapsing??

[wombleydoo]

I tried the TM pav and it was quite flat. I took it out to my friends place and she had made a pav that wasn't quite that fantastic either, so we got a huge bowl, broke the pavs up into largish chunks, dolloped cream, sprinkled fruit thru it and served it like that. Kind of like, um, nachos?  It looked really exotic, tasted great and we figured a pav only looks good til you stick the knife in it to cut it up. Then it ends up all crumbled and stirred up anyway LOL.

[brazen20au]

i've seen that in the magazines womblydoo! kind of like a meringue trifle

[*jo*]

I have made small nests and they too are perfect...for a short time.  It is DEFINATELY the lack of sugar, it has to be.  Thanks so much Thermomixer, I have so appreciated your ideas. 

Wombleydoo I have a similar presentation of pavlova in a Women's Weekly Cookbook, looks awesome...though it may be the chocolate sauce that is the real decider and that and the cream are no go here   

[Thermomixer]

That's OK, I like a challenge - will get to work with some of the sugar alternatives and report back.