My favorite new cook is Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa courtesy of my mom who got me two of her cookbooks for Christmas. For bridge night last night I wanted to make something for dessert that was light in all definitions and sweet. These mixed berry pavlova was perfect! It did take quite a long time to actually bake in the oven but the prep time was about 10 minutes. Enjoy!
Ingredients
4 extra large egg whites at room temperature
pinch of kosher salt
1 cup sugar
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Homemade sweetened whipped cream (recipe below)
1/2 pint strawberries
1/2 pint blueberries
1/2 pint raspberries
Triple Raspberry Sauce (recipe below)
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Place a sheet of parchment paper on a sheet pan. Draw a 9 inch circle on the paper using a 9 inch plate as your guide.
Place the egg whites and salt in the Kitchenaid mixer bowl and fit the mixer with the whisk attachment. Beat the egg whites on high speed until firm, about 1 minute. With the mixer still on high slowly add the sugar and beat until it makes firm, shiny peaks, about 2 minutes.
Remove the bowl from the mixer, sift the cornstarch onto the beaten egg whites, add the vinegar and vanilla, and fold in lightly with a rubber spatula. Pile the meringue into the middle of the circle on the parchment paper and smooth it within the circle, making a rough disk. Bake for 1 1/2 hours. Turn off the oven, keep the door closed, and allow the meringue to cool completely in the oven, about 1 hour. It will be crisp on the outside and soft on the inside.
Invert the meringue disk onto a plate and spread the top completely with sweetened whipped cream. Combine the strawberries, blueberries and raspberries in a bowl and toss with about 1/2 cup of raspberry sauce, or enough to coat the berries lightly. Spoon the berries carefully into the middle of the Pavlova, leaving a border of cream and meringue. Serve immediately in large scoops with extra raspberry sauce.
Sweetened Whipped Cream:
1 cup cold heavy cream
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Whip the cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (you can also use a hand mixer). When it starts to thicken, add the sugar and vanilla and continue to beat until firm. Don't overbeat!
Triple Raspberry Sauce:
1 half-pint fresh raspberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup seedless raspberry jam (12-ounce jar) OR Darlene's homemade jam with seeds!
1 tablespoon framboise liqueur (we did not have this liquer so I skipped this step)
Place the raspberries, sugar and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 4 minutes. Pour the cooked raspberries, the jam, and framboise into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and process until smooth. Chill.
Garten, Ina. (2006) Barefoot Contessa at Home.
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