So I couldn’t stay away from whipped egg whites this week…BUT this is a recipe for berry pavlova, not macarons so I’d say I did a pretty good job resisting the temptation to make my favourite thing 😉
Last year, I gave you a recipe for Eton Mess, which is basically a deconstructed pavlova because you make the meringue, crush it, then mix it with whipped cream and berries.
Pavlova is a pretty big summer dessert in England. I have vivid memories of summers spent in gardens eating pavlova, everyone getting cream all over their faces.
There is some debate about where pavlova originated. Some say it’s English, other Australian or a New Zealand dessert, and some people believe it to be named after the Russian ballerina, Anna Pavlova.
Wherever it originated, it’s really freaking good.
It’s meringue, whipped cream and berries. I mean, you really can’t go wrong.
And I can’t get enough.
Berry Pavlova
Ingredients
- Meringue:
- 8 egg whites
- Pinch salt
- 1 3/4 cup sugar
- Pavlova:
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 3 tbsp. sugar
- 2 tsp. vanilla bean paste
- Assorted berries
Directions
- Step 1 Preheat oven to 250°F.
- Step 2 To make the meringue, whip egg whites and salt until stiff peaks begin to form. Then, slowly add the sugar as the egg whites are whipping. Continue whipping at a medium-high speed until the sugar has dissolved and the meringue is glossy (if you rub a little between your fingers, it should feel smooth, not gritty).
- Step 3 Divide the meringue between two parchment lined baking sheets.
- Step 4 Place in oven and bake for 1 hr 15 min. Turn oven off and leave meringue in there for at least 2 hours to dry out. I like to leave it in the oven overnight to make sure it’s nicely dried.
- Step 5 Once the meringue is ready, whip together the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla bean paste to make whipped cream.
- Step 6 To assemble the pavlova, spread the whipped cream over the top of the meringue. Top with the berries of your choice. To serve, cut slices like you would cut a cake. Store in refrigerator.
