Fruit Pavolva

 

Friend Sheron made these beautiful pavlovas when she hosted our Bucket lunch (see details on my regular blog- constantgrowingamazement.blogspot.com)  They were marvelous and really a light dessert. 

 

Fruit Pavlovas

Sheron Fitch
(adapted from Melissa d’Arabian of the Food Network)

Ingredients for 4 small servings (I doubled recipe for 5 larger ones):

2 egg whites (separate while cold, let set at room temp. for at least 30 min.)
1/4 cup super fine sugar (usually comes in cardboard quart box..baker’s sugar)
Another 1/4 cup super fine sugar mixed with the following cornstarch
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon white wine vinegar (or distilled white vinegar)

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
Strawberries sliced, or other berries
Kiwi fruit, sliced and quartered
1/4 cup apricot jam
2 Tablespoons hot water

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.  Line a baking pan with a sheet of parchment paper.  I drew underneath the paper, with a pencil, the circle size I wanted the meringues to be.

Measure all ingredients ahead of time, and have in small bowls, ready to use.

In a medium glass bowl, whip the egg whites with an electric mixer on lower speed until foamy, not quite making peaks.

Add 1/4 cup of the fine sugar and whip until stiff peaks form.  Add the other 1/4 cup fine sugar with cornstarch and whip to mix.  Add to the egg whites the vanilla and vinegar, and blend with beater on lowest setting until incorporated.

Spoon the mixture into piles within the drawn circles.  Use a spoon to create a well in each pile, pushing gently from the inside out.

Bake for 40 minutes, and then turn off the oven (do not open the oven door), and leave the pavlovas in the oven untouched for another 20 minutes.  Remove from oven and place on wire cooling racks.  Can be stored on the racks, covered with plastic wrap, for 2 to 3 days.

When ready to serve, whip the cream until it makes soft peaks (sweetened with some sugar and vanilla extract).  Top the pavlovas with the whipped cream and berries and kiwi.  Make a quick sauce by thinning the jam with hot water and drizzle over the pavlovas.  Serve.