Pavlova
Meringue:
4 Egg Whites- Room Temp
1 cup Powdered Sugar
1 tsp White Vinegar
1 1/2 tsp Cornstarch
1 tsp Vanilla
Pastry Cream:
4 Egg Yolks
1/3 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Cornstarch
Pinch of Salt
2 1/2 cups Milk (I use non-fat)
2 TBsp Oil (Canola, Olive or Avocado)
1 tsp Vanilla (or other extract flavors- lemon & raspberry are great too)
2 cups fresh fruit- sliced
I first tried a Pavlova many, many years ago. At the time I didn’t know exactly what I was eating, but that didn’t matter, I just knew it was delicious. Both New Zealand and Australia claim to have created this delicious dessert…whoever is responsible for it, I am grateful. This dish is light and definitely lower in fat and calories than most desserts, but it still tastes super decadent, which is hard thing to fathom. Oh yeah, this is also gluten-free!!! You can make the different components ahead of time then just assemble when you’re ready to eat it. You have the freedom to use whatever fruit you have on hand. You can also top it with chopped nuts, toasted coconut or any other yummy topping you can think of. This recipe will make four mini pavlova’s or you can make one large one. I prefer the individual pavlova’s as they’re much easier to serve. One large pavlova does look spectacular when served but it can be a bit tricky when it comes to portioning it out.
You’ll want to make your pastry cream first, so it has plenty of time to get cold. You can make it two days ahead if you’d like. In a medium size pot combine all the pastry cream ingredients except for the vanilla and whisk until completely combined. Cook over medium heat, whisking often & ensuring you scrape the bottom and sides of the pot. It will gradually thicken. Once it starts to boil, cook it for a full minute, still whisking, then remove it from the heat. Place a strainer/sieve over a small bowl and pour the pastry cream through it. This will help remove any lumps/bits of egg or cornstarch from the cream. Make sure you scrape the bottom of the strainer so you don’t miss out on any of that delicious pastry cream. Stir in the vanilla or other flavoring. Place plastic wrap directly on top of the cream so it won’t form a crust, press it down and all the way around. Put in the fridge to chill.
Preheat your oven to 275 degrees. In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, or using a hand mixer, whisk your egg whites until they form soft peaks. Slowly add in the powdered sugar a little at a time, still whisking. Whisk until it forms stiff, glossy peaks. Sprinkle the mixture with the vinegar and cornstarch and gently fold them in with a spatula. Fold in the vanilla last. Be very gentle mixing these ingredients in so you don’t deflate your fluffy egg whites.
On your biggest sheet tray, cover it with parchment paper then portion out the meringue mixture, forming a birds nest sort of shape. Make a well in the center of each (you’ll fill it with your delicious pastry cream later). You want to give them plenty of space in between because they will rise and spread as they cook. See my photo above, I used too small of a pan, and they ended up touching each other while baking. They were still delicious but the edges weren’t as clean as I would have liked them to be. Bake the meringues for 45 minutes on the center rack of your oven. Once finished baking, turn off the oven, crack the door and leave them in there to completely cool. Don’t worry if them form a crack here or there, that is totally normal. They will be a light brownish/pink color.
Prepare your fruit by cutting them how ever you’d like. The fruit possibilities are endless. Some of my favorites are blueberries, strawberries, kiwi, blackberries, pineapple, the list goes on and on. When you’re ready to serve the pavlova, gently remove the meringues from the parchment and place them on small plates. Stir your pastry cream then fill the well in each meringue. Top the pastry cream with your fresh fruit and any other toppings you’d like. Meringues are best served immediately after being baked & cooled. You can keep them in an airtight container but they will soften a lot. Don’t put anything on them ahead of time as they will disintegrate from the moisture. These beauties are sure to impress all your family or guests. Enjoy!