Dessert from Down Under!
Crisp on the edges and marshmallow soft in the center. Pile it high with the whipped lemon curd cream and summer fruit for a delicious dessert that is also gluten free!
This is one impressive looking dessert, and easy to make too! A traditional Pavlova is an Australian dessert made with a layer of marshmallowy egg white meringue topped with sweetened whipped cream and then piled high with vibrant fresh fruit.
Here I use a combination of lemon curd, mascarpone cheese and whipped cream sprinkled with summer berries. BE BRAVE and use fruit of your choice – kiwi, sliced peaches, chopped mango, all taste fabulous, but don’t forget to use a reduced vinegar drizzle, it adds just the right amount of tartness to this otherwise sweet dessert. DELISH!!
Enjoy this decadent, lush, billowy, meringue summer dessert!
Pavlova with Summer Berries
Ingredients
(* indicates my preferred ingredients – see notes for alternatives)
Pavlova
6 large egg whites, at room temperature (see Chef Tip)
1 ½ cup superfine granulated sugar
2 teaspoon O&V Melipone Vanilla *
¾ teaspoon cream of tartar
1 ½ teaspoon cornstarch plus more for dusting the parchment paper
Toppings
1 jar O&V Lemon Curd *
8 oz Mascarpone cheese
1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
3 tablespoons sugar
1 lb assorted fresh berries (about 3 cups)
3 tablespoons O&V Strawberry Rhubarb vinegar *
Fresh mint or fresh basil for garnish
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, going up the sides a little bit. Sprinkle the parchment lightly with some cornstarch
Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar in a large bowl with an electric beater until soft peaks form (about 3-4 minutes). With the beaters running, add the sugar in small amounts (about 2 tablespoons at a time), beating well until sugar is incorporated before adding more. Continue beating until glossy stiff peaks begin to form. Add in the vanilla and beat another 30 seconds. The peaks should remain stiff, if not keep beating at high speed.
Use a spatula to fold in the cornstarch. Spread the meringue into the parchment lined baking sheet over the sprinkled cornstarch creating a slight dip in the center and higher edges. Keep the meringue about ½” from the sides of the pan or it may become difficult to remove the pavlova from the baking sheet to serve.
Place in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 200F. Bake in the oven until the pavlova is firm and dry (about 90 – 100 minutes). Turn the oven off and let the meringue cool in the oven for 2 hours (do NOT open the oven door). After 2 hours, remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. At this point you can store for up to 2 days at room temperature or serve with the toppings immediately.
Make the topping by whipping the heavy cream in a bowl with 3 tablespoons of sugar until stiff peaks form. In a separate bowl, mix together the Lemon Curd and mascarpone cheese. Carefully fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone/lemon curd mixture.
Heat the strawberry rhubarb vinegar over a medium low flame in a small saucepan until it starts to bubble. Remove from heat.
Assemble the pavlova by placing the cooled meringue on a platter. Spread the whipped cream/lemon curd mixture evenly over, leaving a nice meringue edge. Top the whipped cream mixture with the berries. Garnish with fresh mint or basil and drizzle with the strawberry rhubarb vinegar. Serve immediately.
Serves 12-16
Active time: 25 minutes Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
Chef Tip
To ensure that the egg whites whip properly, separate the eggs carefully while they are still cold from the refrigerator. Make sure there are absolutely no traces of yolk. Once separated, you can let the egg whites get to room temperature before starting to make the meringue.
Notes
* My preference is to use the Mexican Melipone vanilla for its intense flavor and aroma, but any high-quality vanilla will work. The Lemon Curd adds nice tang but feel free to use a Blackcurrant curd.
The Strawberry Rhubarb vinegar complements the flavors of this dessert perfectly, but feel free to substitute with Blueberry vinegar, Cherry Almond Vinegar or your favorite high-quality fruit flavored vinegar. But don’t forget to use a reduced vinegar drizzle, it adds just the right amount of tartness to this otherwise sweet dessert
All highlighted products are available at Oil & Vinegar stores.
Categories: Dessert, Sweets, Summer Dessert, Australian Pavlova, Sweet Berry dessert, Strawberry Rhubarb Vinegar, Lemon Curd. Blackcurrant Curd, Melipone Vanilla, Egg White, Meringue, Gluten Free Dessert
