Friday 19 August 2011

"Postre Chaja" Pavlova

My version of a traditional Uruguayan dessert. This is called "Postre Chaja" Pavlova inspired by Porteño.  Don't eat the whole plate yourself!


Ingredients
300 gm   caster sugar
3   mangoes, cheeks removed and quartered lengthways, seeds reserved
100 gm   blanched peanuts
1 tbsp   extra-virgin olive oil
300 gm   double cream, whipped
300 gm   dulce de leche
Meringues*
8   eggwhites
440 gm (2 cups)   caster sugar
2 tsp   cornflour
1 tsp   white vinegar
Sponge cake*
6   eggs
185 gm   caster sugar
185 gm   plain flour
90 gm   butter, melted and cooled   
               

 *You can easily buy ready made meringues and sponge cakes at your local groceries.
Method



1 For meringues, preheat oven to 100C. Whisk eggwhite and a pinch of salt in an electric mixer until soft peaks form (3-4 minutes), then, whisking continuously, gradually add sugar and whisk until firm and glossy (2-3 minutes). Whisk in cornflour and vinegar, then spoon into rough 10cm-diameter mounds on baking trays lined with baking paper. Bake until crisp but not coloured (1½-2 hours), cool completely, break into chunks and store in an airtight container until required.
2 For sponge cake, increase oven to 180C. Whisk eggs and sugar in an electric mixer until pale and fluffy (5-6 minutes), then sieve over flour and fold to combine. Fold in melted butter, then spread in a 25cm x 35cm cake tin buttered and lined with baking paper. Bake until cake is light golden and centre springs back when lightly pressed (20-25 minutes), cool completely, then break into large pieces and store in an airtight container until required.
3 Meanwhile, combine sugar and 300ml water in a saucepan, stir over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil, add reserved mango seeds, remove from heat and stand for 15 minutes. Strain into a bowl (discard seeds), add mango cheeks and refrigerate until well chilled (2-3 hours).
4 Meanwhile, reduce oven to 150C. Spread peanuts on an oven tray and roast, stirring occasionally, until golden (4-5 minutes).Transfer to a bowl, add oil and 2 tsp fine salt, stir to coat, cool. Coarsely chop and set aside.
5 Arrange meringue, sponge cake, mango, and spoonfuls of cream and dulce de leche on a serving plate, scatter with roast peanuts and serve.

This recipe is by Ben Milgate & Elvis Abrahanowiczy from the December 2010 issue of Australian Gourmet Traveller.

The original version at Porteño.



2 comments:

  1. Uy eso si que no es un postre chaja. El chaja es biscochuelo,duraznos en almibar,crema doble y merengue. No lleva dulce de leche.

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    Replies
    1. Hi osiituus.
      Thanks for your feedback. I deconstructed my postre chaja and the recipe I got it from added dulce de leche to make it a bit different, I guess but that's just their version which actually tasted really good too. Photo below is the one served at the restaurant (Porteno).

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