About the Recipe
I love Pavlova. It's light, crispy, airy, sweet and usually paired with fruit, which I find a lovely way to end a meal.
Ingredients
Strawberry Topping
· 1 lb strawberries, quartered
· 2Tbsp vanilla sugar or 2Tbsp sugar + 1/2Tsp vanilla extract
· Fresh basil, julienned, for topping on the pavlova
Whipped Cream Topping
· 1C heavy cream
· 2Tbsp Greek yogurt (optional)
· 1Tsp vanilla extract
Pavlova Base
· 2/3C egg whites, around 5-6 eggs
· 1 ¼C bakers sugar
· 2 ¼Tsp cornstarch
· 1Tsp white vinegar
· 2Tsp vanilla extract
Preparation
Strawberry Topping
1. Combine strawberries and vanilla sugar in a bowl and let them macerate.
2. Garnish the finished Pavlova with the fresh basil, whipped cream and strawberries.Â
Whipped Cream Topping
1. Combine ingredients and whip until fluffy. This is purposely not sweetened to help balance the sweetness level of the dessert, the yogurt is optional but provides some nice tanginess.
Pavlova Base
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Separate your eggs to get the egg whites, please do not use store bought egg whites out of the carton, it will not work.
3. Place them in a stand mixer over medium high speed and beat until soft peaks form.
4. Once the soft peaks have formed, while the mixer is on, gradually add the sugar. I add one tablespoon at a time, the mixer is still on a medium high speed.
5. After the sugar has been added, continue to beat the egg whites until they are glossy and not grainy to the touch. This takes about 8-10 minutes. You should be able to scrape some of the mixture with a spatula and turn it upside down and it does not move.
6. Using a spatula, add in cornstarch, vanilla, and vinegar and mix until just combined. This helps stabilize the egg whites.
7. Add a tiny mixture to each corner of your baking sheet and top with parchment paper, this will keep it from rolling up while you’re shaping your pavlovas. You can pipe them out with a pastry piping bag or just evenly dollop some on and shape with a spoon. This will make around 8 individual pavlovas.
8. Put the pavlovas in the oven and immediately turn the heat down to 225 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake for an hour and a half. You’ll know they are done if they are no longer sticky to the touch. Turn the oven off and let them cool in the oven for 30 minutes.
9. Top with whipped cream, strawberries and basil. Enjoy!
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