Cherry Pavlova
May 27, 2015
My daughter Zoe made this superb dessert and wrote this blog post.
A Pavlova is a meringue-based dessert and is the perfect vehicle for many fruits; cherries, lemons, and strawberries to name a few. Another great thing about a Pavlova is that you are granted quite a bit of liberty—which, if you’re a baker, you know is fairly rare. While the recipe for the meringue itself is untouchable, what you put on it is completely up to the baker. In addition to a simple cherry syrup drizzled on top, there is a layer of sautéed cherry halves soaked in apricot liqueur hidden beneath lashings of whipped cream. Again, this was an independent choice I made as a means to use as many cherries as possible and can therefore be toned up or toned down. Pavlovas can be made on a large scale—as seen here—or on an individual scale, which invites an opportunity for variety. Great for parties or even just family dinners, a Pavlova can be made hours in advance so there is no in-between-dinner-and-dessert hustle or fuss.
- Prep: 20 mins
- Cook: 1 hrs
Directions
1Heat the oven to 370 degrees F. On parchment paper draw a circle of 18 cm (7 inches) diameter. Rub a bit of oil or butter on the parchment paper and dust with corn starch so that the meringue releases easily.
2Whip the egg whites, first on low speed then on high speed until they are stable and hold soft peaks. Add the sugar tablespoon by tablespoon and continue whipping at high speed for another 10 minutes or until the meringue is stiff and shiny and the sugar is dissolved.
3Add the vanilla, vinegar and corn starch and fold into the meringue using a wide spatula until incorporated.
4Using a spatulas or piping bag, create a circular meringue on the parchment paper, slightly higher on the outside so there is room for the whipped cream. Alternatively create smaller individual meringues.
5Put the meringue in the oven, and reduce the heat to 250 degrees F and bake for 1 hour (if individual shells are made they need less time). The outside should be hard and cream colored and the inside, soft, like a marshmallow but not liquid. Turn off the heat and open the oven door to allow it to cool completely.
6Release the meringue from the parchment paper and place on a large serving plate.
Cherry syrup
1Discard the stems and any bruised or blemished fruit. I was lazy and didn’t bother pitting the fruit but this step is recommended if you don’t have a fine metal sieve. Place the cherries (pitted or not) in a small pot with the sugar and heat over low flame. The fruit will begin to soften and turn into a thick pulp. Mix occasionally. Continue to simmer until the syrup sticks to the back of a metal spoon. Remove from heat and strain through a fine metal sieve. Using a spoon push the pulp against the sieve to extract the maximum amount of syrup. Discard the pulp.
Sautéed Cherries
1Sauté the cherries in the apricot liqueur in a small pan over medium heat.
2Before serving, place the sautéed cherries in the middle of the meringue. Whip the cream and sugar until stable and pipe or spoon on top of the cherries. Drizzle with cherry syrup and top with lemon thyme. Serve immediately.
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