Good Taste is the Worst Vice

Berry pavlovas

As we planned the menu for our New Year’s Eve dinner, my mother and aunt and I got stuck deciding on a dessert.  Much as I love my mom’s lemon meringue pie and my aunt’s chocolate roulade, we agreed that we wanted something new.


But what?


I thought of pavlovas, thinking that it might be fun for everyone to assemble their own – and as an added bonus, they wouldn’t be too time-consuming to make (more time to enjoy my vacation!).

The first step is to make the meringues – with a stand mixer, this is pretty easy!  I wasn’t totally sure how best to shape them, but settled on the simplest way, with a spoon.  (The fancy way is to pipe them into neat rounds, but I think they actually look better when done more casually.)  However you shape the meringues, make sure you leave an indentation in the middle to hold the whipped cream and fruit.
 
Speaking of fruit, this is where you can have fun and customize your pavlova.  You could go tropical, with kiwi and passionfruit, or classic, with strawberries and blueberries.
I chose the latter – strawberries macerated in a bit of sugar and Grand Marnier, blueberries, and raspberries.  For something a little different, I added pomegranate seeds.
 
The pavlova was a hit – crisp meringue, cool, sweet whipped cream, and fresh, tart fruit. Try it the next time you’re looking for something a little bit different (and easy)!

 

Berry pavlovas
4 egg whites
Pinch of salt
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp vanilla


Whipped cream
Fresh fruit




Preheat oven to 250 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat.


In standing mixer, beat egg whites and salt at medium-low speed until foamy.  Add cream of tartar and increase speed to medium-high.


Once soft peaks form, begin adding sugar a spoonful at a time.  Continue beating until meringue is shiny and forms stiff peaks.


Remove bowl from mixer and sift in cornstarch, then fold to combine.  Add vanilla and fold to incorporate.


Divide meringue into 8-12 mounds on the baking sheet, evenly spaced.  With a spoon, carefully shape them so they are slightly flattened with an indentation in the center.  Do not let them touch.


Lower oven temperature to 225 degrees.  Bake for 1 hour, checking every 20 minutes to ensure meringues are not browning.


Cool meringues on a wire rack.  (Do not make in advance, as they will soften if stored.)

Prepare fruit – any combination that you like. 


Just before serving, make whipped cream.  


Serve each person a meringue, and pass whipped cream and fruit separately.


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