Pavlova

Anna Pavlova, the principal dancer of the Russian Imperial Ballet, visited Australia and New Zealand in the 1920's, and the natives went crazy over her and concocted this fluffy, crunchy yet chewy, flamboyant dessert in her honor. Both countries claim they invented this truly scrumptious creation, but that doesn't matter to those of us who break into a swoon at the prospect of having a generous slice of it for dessert!

There are many variations on the recipe for the meringue base of the Pavlova, but this was the recipe that I used. I was happy with the result, but I plan to re-test this and to try other recipes until I can come up with a meringue base that holds its shape after it's baked, and doesn't crack and fall apart too much while waiting to be filled with the cream and berries. You can also use other fruits for the toppings, like kiwis, to add more color to the finished dish. The photo on the right shows the meringue before it was baked.

Meringue Base:

3/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons cornstarch

3 egg whites, at room temperature

3/4 teaspoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Topping: 

2 cups Custard (recipe below) or Whipped Cream

Fresh berries

Preheat oven to 275F. In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and cornstarch until well-combined; set aside.

Clean the bowl of an electric mixer very well (no traces of grease from previous us). Starting on low speed, whip the eggs until it gets to the “ribbon” stage (if you drip some on the surface,  it holds its shape for a few minutes). Add the sugar mixture in 4 additions, continuing to whip in between additions.

When the sugar is completely dissolved, add the vinegar and vanilla extract. Continue to whip until the mixture is shiny and very glossy, and stiff enough to hold a shape.

Line a baking sheet with Silpat (silicone liner) or parchment paper. Spread the mixture into a two-inch thick circle in the middle of the baking sheet (or 2 to 3 smaller ones for individual servings); with the back of a spoon, make a well in the center and tap the sides to make a few peaks.

Bake for 1 hour, then let cool on a rack. It will have a nice crisp crust, but the inside will stay soft. The crust will crack a bit while it cools. Carefully transfer to serving platters and top with the pastry cream or whipped cream and fresh berries.