Crunchy, chewy meringues, topped with fresh whipped cream and tart, colorful berries are always a welcome surprise for dessert.
For a fresh approach to dessert at the next birthday party, or an easily transportable dessert to add to a dinner away, try making pavlovas. The meringues can be baked days in advance. At serving time, just add a scoop of whipped cream, toss on some berries, arrange, light the candles and sing your heart out!
Meringues are culinary magic at its best! Six ingredients are whipped together to make a marvelous confectionery treat. Here is what you will need:
Meringues
yield: 8 meringues
8 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons vinegar
3 teaspoons orange blossom water
2-1/2 cups whipping cream
fruit for garnish (raspberries, blueberries, sliced strawberries, or during the holidays pomegranate jewels are splendid addition!)
Adjust oven racks to accommodate 3 baking trays. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place silpats (silicon sheets that make removing the desserts and clean up much easier) on each baking tray (in place of silpats, parchment paper can be used).
Beat egg whites on a high speed until soft peaks form.
Continue beating and slowly pour in the sugar.
Beat until the mixture becomes thick and glossy and holds a stiff peak.
Sprinkle in the cornstarch, vinegar, orange blossom water and fold in lightly.
Scoop out large spoonfuls of the egg whites mixture and drop them onto the prepared trays. Use the backside of the spoon to create a little indentation in the mound, leave any fun curls or waves in place. Meringues can also be enjoyed without the cream and berries, in which case they can be left shaped as mounds with a curled peak.
Slide the trays in the oven and immediately reduce the heat to 300 degrees. Bake for 40 minutes and then turn off the heat. Leave in the oven for another 2 hours as the oven cools (or until you need them).
The meringues will emerge from the oven looking similar to how they entered, but there will be a slightly golden, crunchy, flaky shell surrounding the soft, chewy mixture inside. They may spread when the humidity is high.
Peel the meringues from the sheet and store in an airtight container until ready to serve (they can be stored for up to a week).
When ready to serve, whip the cream until very thick. Put each meringue on a dessert plate. Use a large spoon to drop a large dollop of the whipped cream over the indentation (it is good to have cream spilling out of the indentation). Top with a scattering of berries or pomegranate jewels.
For easy service, place a dessert fork on the side of each plate.
Place a cake stand on the center of a platter and arrange the plates on the platter and stand.
Add candles, making sure they are distributed throughout the tray.
Light the candles, present the tray to the guest of honor and sing as if nobody is listening!!
Flavor variations: in place of the orange blossom water, try vanilla extract, almond extract, lemon extract or rosewater.
Silpats can be purchased at kitchen stores, Amazon.com or Cost + markets.
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