Berry Kissed Pavlova

As I mentioned yesterday I won a recipe contest with the dish pictured above which I named "Berry Kissed Pavlova".  A pavlova is basically just a baked meringue that melts in your mouth that is loaded with fruit and whipped cream and although the final result is beautiful and looks kind of fancy this recipe and the techniques used are very easy and fun to do. 

I made one big disc and portioned it out but it's also fun to do mini pavlovas which would be perfect for that special Valentine's dinner that may be coming up.

Berry Kissed Pavlova
For the merinque

8 large egg whites
Pinch of salt
1 2/3 cup white sugar
1 T. cornstarch
2 t. white vinegar
1 t. vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper and draw an 8 inch circle on the paper.

With your stand mixer [handheld would work fine too] beat the egg whites and salt until satiny peaks form. Beat in the sugar, a spoonful at a time, until the meringue is stiff and shiny [you should be able to form stiff peaks when you lift the mixer out of the meringue]. Sprinkle the cornstarch, vinegar, and vanilla into the meringue and fold in lightly.

Mound the meringue onto the baking sheet within the circle, flatten the top and smooth out the sides [meringue will puff & expand as you bake]. Put in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 300 degrees. Cook for 1 ¾ hours. Turn off the oven and leave the pavlova in it to cool completely [if your oven is electric crack the door open when cooling]. Don’t be frustrated when you remove the meringue from the oven, it will fall a bit and should have a cracked exterior that hides the gooey marshmallow like interior. Once cool you can store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Berry compote
1 pint of fresh strawberries
1 bag frozen blackberries
1 bag frozen blueberries
1/2 c. honey
2 T. sugar
Zest of one lime

Slice strawberries and combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use. I usually let mine sit for at least 2 hours so the juices from the fruit come out and create a delicious syrupy concoction.

Blushed Whip Cream
1 container of Cool Whip or 1 bowl of homemade whipped cream**
¼ c. honey
2 T. berry syrup from your berry compote
Zest from one lemon and lime

Combine all ingredients, using a folding motion so the whipped topping stays light an fluffy.
**I would suggest making your own whipped cream but for my contest I had to use whipped topping and it still turned out great.

Assembly:
Once all your components are done simply mound the Blushed whip cream into the center of the meringue and top with the berry compote. It’s gorgeous as is but if you want to take it one step further you can top the whole thing with a nest of spun sugar [see recipe below].

Spun sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup light karo syrup

Prep your work space by taping two wooden spoons [with the handles lightly oiled] to your countertop about 8-12 inches apart with the handles facing out and overhanging the counter by 6-7 inches. Cover the floor below the handles with newspaper.

In a medium sauce pan heat the karo syrup and sugar until it reaches 265 degrees and a light amber caramel develops – usually 5-6 minutes. Insert your candy thermometer after 4 minutes so you can moniter the temperature. Once it has reached 265 degrees remove from heat and let cool until it reaches 150 degrees.

Take two forms with their backs side to side and string the caramel across the spoon handles so it forms whisper thin strings. If the caramel mixture becomes hard to work with simply place it back on the heat for a minute until it loosens back up.

Gather the strings lightly so it forms a nest and place in a cool, dry place until ready to use.

I hope you try out this recipe and play with different combinations of fruit and flavors - the options are limitless.