Why does nobody talk about the humidity in Portland ruining your meringue?

I made a pavlova for a friend's party there last weekend and it completely collapsed into a sticky puddle after 2 hours. My usual recipe from my dry Arizona kitchen was a total failure because I didn't adjust for the damp air. Has anyone in a wet climate found a reliable fix, like adding cornstarch or baking at a lower temp for longer?

3 comments

3 Comments

seanjohnson19d ago

My Seattle pavlova holds up fine, actually.

gavin_reed18d ago

Seattle's secret is the constant drizzle acting like a built-in humidifier for your oven. It's the one place where adding extra moisture to the air is a baking hack, not a disaster. Pavlova must be the official state dessert over there.

cameronb5219d ago

Yeah but the humidity here is a killer for meringue. Even on a good day, it can get chewy fast unless you bake it low and slow. I've had way too many turn into marshmallow fluff.