Pavlova with the Gluten Free Girl

Hey all, this is sort of a guest posting.  Gluten Free Girl was up this weekend and I asked her if she would be willing to show me how she makes Pavlova.  I am so smart.  Not only did I get a Pavlova tutorial, but I got to have Pavlova for dessert.  And you thought I was just another pretty face.

This isn’t a dessert you can decide to make at the last minute.  It’s the cooling that takes so much time, but it’s worth every minute.  Pavlova is light and airy.  The outside of the completed Pavlova is almost crunchy; you know you’ve bitten into it.  The inside is intensely creamy.  I’m not a huge whipped cream fan, but it is the perfect layer here.  This is a pie-shaped wedge cut from the 9 inch Pavlova.

I’m certain I could eat this every day of the week.  While it is amazingly rich, you don’t feel like you’ve over indulged.  Give it a try.  It’s super easy and your friends will be totally impressed and will talk about you with awe when they think you aren’t listening.

4 egg whites, room temperature

1 cup super fine sugar or 1 ¼ cups regular granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 teaspoons cornstarch, be sure there are no lumps

1 cup heavy cream

Topping:  Fresh fruit, lemon curd

Heat oven to 300 degrees

Line baking sheet with parchment paper.  Draw a 9 inch circle.  Set aside

In a very clean mixer bowl with a whip attachment, beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry.  Gradually add the sugar one tablespoon at a time.  Beat well after each addition.  Beat until thick and glossy.  Gently fold in the vanilla, lemon juice and cornstarch.

Spoon mixture onto the drawn circle.  Spread toward outside edge, building edge slightly leaving a slight depression in the center.

Bake 1 ¼ hours.  Turn the oven off and leave in the oven without opening the door until completely cool, approximately 2 to 3 hours.

Beat cream until stiff, add 3 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla.

Remove meringue from the oven and place on serving plate.  Fill the depression with whipping cream.  Top with fruit or lemon curd.

*  From the Recipe Box:

This is not exactly Rebecca’s recipe.  She had made some changes to hers, but G and I liked the original version best.

We also loved it with the Lemon Curd instead of the berries.  The sharpness of the lemon was a great balance to the sweetness of the Pavlova.

In this picture, the Pavlova is 9 inches in diameter and approximately 4 inches high.

and remember:  As Dorothy Parker said:  I’ve never been a millionaire, but I just know I’d be darling at it.  Big kiss, Lynn