For those of you who know me, I am forever-awed by bakers and pastry chefs! I don’t consider myself a baker by any means, so when there is a simple recipe that is pretty much fool-proof…that’s when it becomes magic!
One of the most beautifully impressive desserts I’ve ever had is Pavlova. It’s a light fluffy cloud of sweet, crunchy, ethereal bliss…topped with summer berries and cream…it is really a show stopper!
My curiosity got the best of me, so I explored how to make this beautifully impressive (and delicious!) dessert. After many trials, I am so happy to share this fool-proof recipe for you to enjoy. It’s incredibly flexible and delicious.
The secret is in the oven temperature and allowing the time for the meringue to cool sloooooooowly in the oven is essential. If you have ever made meringues and they came out too hard or chewy, the temperature was either too high or the meringues were not allowed to cool completely and had some residual moisture.
This dessert continues to deliver as you can make the meringue 1-2 days ahead of time. It stores quite well in an airtight container where the meringue can stay dry – any contact with air and the meringues will start to get soft. Prior to serving, prepare the berry topping and serve with whipped cream.
You can also perfume your meringue OR cream topping with the slightest hit of rose water. Note: I say to use rose water in either the meringue or cream topping as it can be a bit overwhelming to use it in both. Start with 1/8 teaspoon of rose water since a little goes a very long way…you can always add more to taste. As a rule it’s always better to add more than regret adding too much in the beginning and you have to start over again.
As if that was all…there is more! You can make one large meringue which makes for an impressive presentation or several individual serving sizes which are still adorable. The recipe is very flexible and doesn’t require any change in baking temperature or time.
Recipe yields 1 large 10” meringue or 6 individual 4”-5” meringues
What you will need for the meringue:
· 4 egg whites
· Pinch of sea salt
· 1 1/4 cups superfine or baker’s sugar
· 2 teaspoons cornstarch
· 1 teaspoon white-wine vinegar (or you can substitute distilled vinegar)
· 1/4 – 1/2teaspoon vanilla extract (depending to your taste)
· 1/8 teaspoon rose water(optional - only use in either meringue OR topping)
What you will need for the topping:
· 1 pound mixed berries (any combination of the following: strawberries, hulled and halved or quartered, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries)
· 1/2 teaspoon high-quality vanilla extract
· 1 teaspoon high-quality balsamic vinegar
· 2 teaspoons superfine or baker’s sugar (you can opt to leave sugar out of the cream)
· 2 cups heavy cream
· 1/8 teaspoon rose water (optional – only use in either topping OR meringue)
Let’s get baking!
To prepare the meringue:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. If you are making a large meringue, draw a circle on the paper using an 8- or 9- inch cake pan as a guide. If you are making individual meringues, you can use a small bowl that is 4”-5” turned upside down as your guide. Be sure to turn the parchment over so the pencil marking is facing down and doesn’t get on the meringue.
3. In bowl of an electric mixer, combine egg whites and salt.
4. Begin beating at low speed, slowly increasing to high. Continue until satiny peaks begin to form; gradually beat in sugar a tablespoon at a time until meringue is stiff and shiny.
5. Sprinkle in cornstarch, white-wine vinegar and vanilla extract, and fold in gently.
6. Mound the meringue mixture onto the parchment paper being sure to stay within the circle.
7. Place the baking sheet in the oven, and immediatelyreduce the oven heat to 300 degrees.
8. Bake 1 hour 15 minutes. Turn off oven heat – DO NOT REMOVE THE MERINGUES FROM THE OVEN OR OPEN THE OVEN DOOR -- allow the meringue to cool completely in oven. This can take several hours to cool – so if you are making this for dinner, make your meringues in the morning or the day before. If the meringues crack on the top, do not worry, this will not affect the taste or presentation of your dessert.
To prepare the topping:
1. In a large bowl, combine berries, vanilla, balsamic vinegar and sugar and toss to mix well. Cover with plastic wrap. Let sit at room temperature at least 25 minutes and up to 2 hours.
2. For the whipped cream simply add the cream to the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on high using a whisk attachment until it begins to thicken. While the mixer is still running gradually add the sugar (if using) until you get stiff peaks. Once you're whipped cream is ready, turn off the mixer. You have the option to add the rose water at this point – stir into the whipped cream. Taste and see if you think the whipped cream has enough rose flavor, if not repeat the process.
To serve, place meringue on a platter or cake stand. Gently crack the top with the back of a soup spoon to make a shallow nest for the whipped cream and berries. Spoon whipped cream into the center of the meringue and top with the berry mixture. You can drizzle any remaining liquid from the berry mixture over the berries. Serve immediately.
Comments