Kia Ora friends and Merry Kiwi Christmas from the Cotters! We are a day ahead so we actually just wrapped up our Christmas weekend.
We’ve been staying with James’ Aunt and Uncle and cousins up in Tauranga (Bay of Plenty) and boy has it been good fun! Now, usually we are with my family for Christmas, lots of kiddos, a turkey, pie, etc. Yes, the good ‘ole American Christmas. Obviously we are not in TX this year and traditions have been swapped a bit for Kiwi Christmas traditions in New Zealand.
Summer weather meant picking fresh fruit from the orchards outside, pouring a glass of wine that just happened to be local of course, strolling on the beach and soaking up some sun, firing up the grill for a Kiwi Christmas “Barbie,” taking advantage of seeing kiwi cousins and laughing lots, playing tennis in the backyard all afternoon, and let’s not forget…the Christmas Pavlova (how I love that it is Gluten free too!).
It’s definitely been a “new” experience for this Texas Family Gal but it makes me happy to see the hubs home here with family. We never get to see them so we are taking full advantage while we can.
Tomorrow (our boxing day) we will head out to Auckland for another couple weeks of training. More travel time in the car but it’s definitely worth it for this journey!
Kiwi Christmas Pavlova
Kiwi Christmas Pavlova (source)
Servings: 1 pavlova
Print
New Zealand Style Pavlova
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
Description
New Zealand Style Pavlova
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 6 Large Egg Whites (room temp)
- 1 ⅓ cup caster sugar (Finer ground granulated sugar)
- 2 teaspoon vinegar
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch or 1 teaspoon (a pinch) cream of tartar
- 1 to 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Toppings:
- 1 cup Heaving whipping cream
- 2–4 tablespoon Powdered sugar or powdered sugar free substitute
- Kiwi fruit and berries
Instructions
- Beat egg whites until stiff (forms peaks). Add sugar – heaped tablespoon at a time – beating well after each addition. Then beat for at least 10 minutes. This is very important. Then sprinkle vinegar, corn flour and vanilla essence into mixture. Beat until blended.
- Coat baking paper with water drops to allow baking paper to stick to sides of tin and pile pavlova mixture in 20cm circle.
- Heat oven until 300°F (or 150°C). Put pav in oven and immediately turn oven down to 250°F (or 125°C) and leave for 1 hour. Then turn oven off and leave in oven until cold. (Usually overnight). This makes a nice crust on outside of pav.
- Before serving, make your whipped cream (or feel free to use premade whipped cream).
- Place chilled whipped heavy cream in stand mixer or bowl and whip cream and sugar into stiff peaks. About 2-3 minutes on high. Chill until ready to use.
- When ready to serve, carefully spread the whipped cream over the pavlova and then decorate with sliced kiwi and your favorite berries.
Notes
Need more pavlova making tips? Check out this post!
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 65
- Category: dessert
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: new zealand
Keywords: pavlova, sugar free, dessert, gluten free, cake
What are your NEW or OLD Holiday Traditions this year?
I always love to hear!
Cheers,
LC
Sounds all great to me! Christmas over here is usually cold (this year, also very wet), and we celebrate with the family, go to the church in the afternoon, have dinner, and then unpack the presents, what usually takes several hours since we do it one-by-one and sloooooooowwwwlyyyy, for everybody to see and appreciate what the others get. Christmas in Germany is celebrated on the 24th, so for me, you were 12 hours late. 😉
that sounds wonderful. I remember our german christmas traditions. It was splendid! And i totally forgot about it being ont e 24th! crazy. How is your professor in Christchurch? Is he still here?
what a great time you must have had celebrating the holidays with new surroundings. loving all the photos! happy holidays, love!
i certainly didn’t mind the warm weather. Although it was weird not seeing much holiday decor. That i missed! I’ve been americanized, what can i say?! How’s the nose??
What a super fun way to spend the holiday!! Always nice to see your smiling face, and that pupper dog looks super sweet! Thinking of you as we wind down this LAST WEEK of 2011… you’ll be in 2012 before the rest of us! 😉
i know, weird. We will be in 2012 a day before you guys. I’ll tell you how it goes. haha. Hugs friend.
No new traditions here and I love it that way! Christmas comes only once and each time I drink lots of yummy red wine and eat way too many sweets. And I enjoyed every moment…well except when I woke up with stomach pains at 3:30 AM. HA! Oh well, homemade fudge is way too good to pass up…XOXO
oh i love it! i got a tummy ache too on christmas but kinda worth it. Sugar overload. Can’t wait to see all your fun pictures. Miss you friend.
Merry Christmas, Lindsay!!! 🙂
We celebrated with an entirely new family this year. Shane’s dad married his girlfriend in July, and they welcomed us into their traditions 🙂
thats so great! Its fun starting new traditions with new family too! Makes you feel so cozy.
🙂
Christmas Pavlova sounds fabulous! So glad you enjoyed your Kiwi Christmas and the summer weather! Foreign to this northerner although it’s been crazy mild here so far.
i bet you wouldn’t know what to do with this weather during christmas. Definitely feels odd but I will take the warmth for now. 🙂
Awww Merry (belated) Kiwi Christmas, Cotters! =) Looks like you have a great one even if it was a little different.
It was great! Its all about embracing change, right? Hope you and Max and doing well. So good to hear from you Sable, as always.
🙂
the pavlova looks delicious! and I love that you got to have a new experience for Christmas this year. I’m sure you miss Texas, and your family here, but you’ll look back and be so happy you and James had a summertime Kiwi Christmas! 🙂
p.s. I need to know more about those face masks! 🙂
yes, you are so right! we will ALWAYS remember this time and be grateful! Did i ever tell you how grateful i am of YOU!?
<3
Merry day-after-Christmas, Lindsay! I spy a purple paper crown! I actually wore one just like it yesterday; poppers are a tradition at our lunch/dinner table, and even though we weren’t home this year, my mom made sure to pack them in her suitcase. 🙂
I’ve always thought it would be fun to experience a summer Christmas, and I’m so glad you enjoyed yours! The pavlova is absolutely beautiful, and I’m sure it tasted even better! xoxo
haha, yes a crown is in there. I had never done that before. Lots of fun! Pavlova needs to be an american tradition, don’t you think?
😉
How fun! Hope you had a splendid holiday Lindsay! 🙂
I sure did. Lots of outdoor activity too which makes me happy. How was yours? How are you feeling these days?
Merry Christmas Cotters!! I love you recap and sharing in these traditions with us…and I’m sure it was just so joyous to see your husband get to spend time with his family, since you usually aren’t in NZ for the holidays. Cheers to a beautiful 2012!!
yes, he really had fun reconnecting. I think it had been 9 years or so! But of course I did miss my little nieces and nephews. Enjoy your christmas with your dad today.
xoxo
What a beautiful Christmas! Glad you were able to spend this holiday w/ James’ family
Safe travels to your next destination!
<3
we did and i have to say, your video made it even better! thank you!
Awww… love the kiwi traditions. 🙂 Looks like it was so much fun! Safe travels to Auckland friend! 🙂
it was fun to start some new traditions. How was yours? Kiddos happy?
What do you think about quinoa flour and would that be acceptable? I think this might be good also if dumped in a bowl of yogurt. …i know..I have problems 🙁
it would probably work with one whole egg too….
i like using coconut flour too. Might work!
We missed you at Christmas but looks like you had a wonderful day with your New Zealand family. Have fun in Auckland.
Love, Mom
oh missed you too mom! Wish you were here! will call tomorrow. <3
Christmas in the summer sounds delightful! While it is fairly warm here for winter, there is definitely snow on the ground.
We’re with my husband’s family for the day and some of the traditions are: poppy seed rolls for breakfast, presents in the morning, and an early turkey dinner. This year my niece and nephews are 8, 6, and 4- so lots of excitement from them! It has been a lot of fun.
Merry Christmas to you and your family!
i miss my nieces and nephews! Its fun to see them so excited, right? Enjoy the new traditions and kiddos!
That fruit looks amazing. Reminds me of Christmas in Brazil with my wife a few years ago – lots of fresh fruit served up at breakfast time and at the main meals. A lot healthier that Christmas pudding!
★★★★
oh yes, those fresh fruit breakfasts are the best! In hawaii we would eat big papayas for christmas and lots of pineapple. So refreshing! Enjoy some christmas fruit today and keep it healthy Jon.
CHeers!
A little bit late for keeping it healthy, that will have to wait a day 🙂
Looks like so much fun! Merry Christmas!!
yes, except i really need to learn tennis. haha, i am much better at running. 😛
Merry Christmas friend.
merry christmas!!
glad you are having such a great time with family and the weather looks fab.
it is windy and raining here in victoria bc…the perfect jammie day.
we had our christmas dinner etc on chirstmas eve, so i’ve decided to spend christmas day in my jammies watching movies and eating whatever and whenever i please…including of course wine.
actually it is sounding more like a princess day!!!
take care!
cheers
oh cuddle up with a movie and some wine. Sounds perfect Audrey! Merry Christmas!
Pav! Hooray! Love the chocolate fish touch, too Kiwi!
Must be such a change for you – I love how relaxed the Kiwi Xmas is…. so nice you get to experience something different.
Merry Christmas to you, hubs and family! x
i know, so kiwi! So much sugar too! haha. I couldn’t eat it all but it did get eaten. Much love to you friend. Come to austin soon, k?
I’m glad you had a wonderful holiday weekend! I wish it was as warm and sunny here is it is where you are ;)!!!
I’ll send the sunshine your way for christmas, k?
God Bless friend!
oh thank you for sharing these wonderful pics. again what an incredible experience you are having. i just love reading of your adventures and what it is like over in that part of the world. how lucky for you and hubs.
miss you here in the states though 🙂 happy late merry xmas!
we do miss our family in the states but you are right, we are very lucky to be here on this adventure together. Merry Christmas Kalli. Cheers to great friends and family!
<3
merry (late!) Christmas, Cotters! looks like such a fun time, complete with facials? 🙂 playing tennis in the warm sun is something I would love to do today…
this holiday season has been new in every way for me – from spending most of it in sunny Jalisco and Nayarit, finishing off with 3 days in a German beirgarten, now home and spending the day with my family, but at my sisters. Different and new. and different. 🙂
The rest of the year is as normal – Jason and I are both off work the rest of the year, so I’ll really feel like I’m getting back to the regular things – although part of me wants to be in another country again! 🙂
XXO, enjoy Auckland!
oh that sounds wonderful friend. So glad you and Jason get that time off work too! you need it. I’m thinking you need to be in this country…..perhaps a visit?
😉
love you.
xoxo
Sounds like you guys had a great change of pace Christmas! I’m pretty sure any day in the sun by the ocean is a good one, let alone on Christmas. And that pavlova looks delicious!
yes, gotta take advantage while we can, right? Merry Christmas Liz! Hope its filled with all kinds of goodness!
happy … boxing day? 🙂 i’m glad you’re having a wonderful holiday and celebrating with family and new traditions! i haven’t had a “normal” x-mas in a few years. last year i was on the trail in peru for christmas day and this year i was with j’s family since my family’s waiting for guest to arrive (from texas!) before we celebrate christmas (on new years) 🙂 but you know what? it doesn’t matter because it’s the people, smiles, and laughs that count. not the day on the calendar!
Give them a big TX hug for me, k?
And i agree, christmas means being with those you love and cherish, not a day on the calendar. I remember being in hawaii and canada a few times as well. It was with love i felt that created that special day.
Merry xmas to you and J!
How fun with the new traditions this year. What a great way to bring the year to a close. Maybe you can bring some of those traditions home with you too of course. Merry (late) Christmas!
yes, i think so. Feels odd of course but in a good way. Change is good! Merry Christmas to you and your family! Love you.
Merry Christmas love!!! <3
merry christmas sweet friend. Love you!
Yay I am so glad you posted the pavlova recipe… this looks wonderful! I am going to try it out quite soon 🙂
Have a wonderful holiday Lindsay!
oh yea! totally posted this for you! Let me know if you try it. Just to warn you, its tricking to set the cake, kinda like a meringue but such good stuff and fun to make! Merry Christmas to you friend. Thanks for being such an encouragement to us all!
Merry Christmas Cotters! I love the photographs, sounds like a wonderful new experience for you 🙂
One of our family’s oldest traditions is how we do our Christmas Eve. Church, then our tamale fest, then gifts. I found some awesome tamales at Central Market 2 years ago that are gluten and lard free and actually semi healthy! That makes me so happy!
wanna ship some Tamales over here? hehe, jk! I sure do miss my GF sweet potato tamales this christmas. Enjoy some for us, k?
So happy you had a lovely Kiwi xmas experience – it always seems to be incongrous to have xmas bathed in sunshine, but that’s just down to my being culturally conditioned to associate xmas with snow/cold/ice etc.
Really interesting to see the Kiwi traditions too – I had no idea that Pavlova was the seasonal dessert of choice!
Have a safe trip to Auckland 🙂
xxx
yes it does! I remember that same feeling when we lived in hawaii. Odd but enjoyed new traditions.
Christmas Pavlova is definitely a keeper in our house from now on. Good stuff! Merry Xmas Jess!