Pavlova With Fresh Berries
Pavlova with Fresh Berries is a dessert that can be made in advance and assembled right before serving.
Equipment
- 1 food processor 10-cup
- 2 rimmed baking sheet pans
- 1 stand mixer Substitute a hand-held electric mixer
- 1 pastry bag With a large star tip
- 1 quart container With a tight-fitting lid
- 2 sheets of parchment paper
- 1 pencil
Ingredients
Ingredients for the Meringue:
- 6 large egg whites Room temperature
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tsps cornstarch Sifted
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Ingredients for the Sweetened Whipped Cream:
- 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
- 1 tbsp vanilla-flavored granulated sugar
- 2 tbsps pure vanilla extract
Ingredients for the Raspberry Sauce: Yields: 2 cups
- 1/2 pint fresh raspberries
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup raspberry jam With seeds (seedless optional)
- 1 tbsp Chambord (raspberry liqueur)
Ingredients for the Fresh Berries:
- 1/2 pint hulled and sliced strawberries
- 1/2 pint fresh blueberries
- 1/2 pint fresh blackberries
- 1/2 pint fresh raspberries
Garnish:
- 4 sprigs fresh mint
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°F.Place a sheet of parchment paper on a sheet pan. Outline 4 inverted 6-inch creme brulee dishes, using the dishes as your guide, two on each piece of paper. Turn the paper upside down so the pencil marks won't get on the meringue.Place the egg whites and a pinch of Kosher salt in a dry, clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat the egg whites on high speed until firm, about a minute. With the mixer still on high, slowly add the sugar and beat until it makes firm, shiny peaks, about another 2 minutes.Remove the bowl from the mixer. Using a rubber spatula, very gently fold in the sifted cornstarch, white vinegar, and vanilla extract to the beaten egg whites.Fill the piping bag with a star tip with the egg whites. Starting in the middle, then moving outwards, draw the meringue to complete the traced outline of the creme brulee dish. Once the outer line of the dish has been reached, go around one more time on the outer line, forming a lip. This will allow you to fill the meringues. Refer to the pictures above.Bake for 1 1/2 hours. Turn off the oven, keep the door closed, and allow the meringues to cool completely in the oven for at least 1 additional hour. They will be crisp on the outside and soft on the inside.While the meringues are cooling in the oven, this gives plenty of time to make the raspberry sauce and prepare the whipped cream.Instructions for the Raspberry Sauce:Place the raspberries, sugar, and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Next, add the raspberry jam, cooled cooked raspberry mixture, and Chambord into the bowl of the food processor, fitted with a steel blade, and process until smooth. Transfer the raspberry sauce to a container with a tight-fitting lid. Place into the fridge for at least 30 minutes to chill.Instructions for the Sweetened Whipped Cream:Whip the cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. When the cream starts to thicken, add the vanilla sugar and vanilla extract, and continue beating the cream until firm. Do not overbeat!!!To serve the Pavlova with Fresh Berries, carefully place the meringues onto the serving dishes. When ready to serve, fill the centers of the meringues with sweetened whipped cream. Place 1/4 cup of the mixed fresh berries (per meringue cookie) in a bowl. Ladle 1 to 2 tablespoons of the raspberry sauce into the fresh berries and toss. Then ladle the sauced berries onto the whipped cream in the center of each meringue cookie. Take a tablespoon of the raspberry sauce and drizzle some around the meringue. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.There you have it, my Pavlova with Fresh Berries.
Notes
1) Linda Lou Hamel is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value are important to you, I recommend running the ingredients through the online nutritional calculator of your choice. Calories and values can vary depending on the brands you choose.
