It's June! And summer means beautiful red strawberries, watermelons, cherries, and tomatoes! Suffice it to say I'm beyond excited to start my summer cooking and baking with seasonal ingredients. Here in California the weather has been bizarre, to say the least. We haven't yet had enough consistent heat to warm the soil and really get some of the summer vegetables going. But we can always count on Santa Maria strawberries to be red, ripe, sweet, and delicious!
At the farmers' market last weekend HOP and I picked up 6 baskets of organic Santa Maria strawberries, and I basically ate one on the way home. I knew strawberry shortcake was in order but I wanted to take it to the next level. And did I ever. Instead of the traditional shortcake, pound cake, or angel food cake base (or, gasp! those horrible spongey little yellow packaged cake cups some people buy) I opted for the light, elegant, show-stopping Pavlova. (And yes, it's easy.)
Pavlova is a sweet baked meringue shell that is light as a feather and very delicate. The outside has a hard shell, and the inside is similar to angel food but far less dense. The Pavlova was named after the famed ballerina Anna Pavlova. Australians and New Zealanders debate over which country invented the Pavlova, but there is no debate about how beautiful and delicious they are when presented as a dessert. I made mine for my family dinner last Sunday and the four of us ate the entire thing! It's that good and far less difficult or time consuming than you may think.
INGREDIENTS
For the Pavlova -
5 egg white (which I separate by hand, making sure there is absolutely NO yolk!)
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 1/4 tsp. real vanilla
1 tsp. white wine vinegar
2 tsp. cornstarch
Cookie sheet
Parchment paper
For the Cream -
1 pint heavy whipping cream
1 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. real vanilla
For the Strawberries -
About 2 cups sliced strawberries
1 tbsp. sugar
DIRECTIONS
Preheat your oven to 250 degrees. Place parchment paper on your cookie sheet and trace a 9" pie plate onto the paper with a pencil. Turn over the parchment paper so that you can see the outline of the circle but your egg whites will not touch the led.
Separate your egg whites from the yolks. If you have any oil, yolk, or fat in your bowl your eggs will not form a meringue. With a stand or hand mixer, whip the eggs until they become white and foamy. Slowly add the sugar about one tablespoon at a time and mix well after each tablespoon. Slowly add the vanilla, then the vinegar and the cornstarch. Your eggs should be thick, glossy, and soft peaks form. You should be able to hold the bowl full of meringue over your head with confidence that none will fall out. Test the meringue to be sure all of the sugar has dissolved by putting some between your thumb and forefinger and rubbing together. If you feel sugar granules, keep beating. They should all be dissolved.
Spoon your meringue onto the parchment paper within the ring. The bottom/middle should be about 1 1/2 inches thick. Form a bowl by making the meringue concave with tall sides. Keep in mind you will fill the baked meringue with cream and then top with strawberries. Put your meringue in the oven on the middle rack and bake for one hour. Never open the oven door.
Slice your strawberries into a bowl, sprinkle one tablespoon of sugar on top. Stir. Refrigerate.
Once the hour is over turn off the oven and allow the meringue to cool inside the oven (do not open the door) for *at least* an hour. (I like to let it sit for a while longer.) When you do remove the meringue keep in mind that it is very, very delicate and prone to cracking. Have a cake stand ready. Gently separate the parchment paper from the bottom of the meringue and place it on the cake stand.
It's best to finalize your Pavlova close to serving time. Whip your whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla so that the whipped cream is sweet and very thick. Gently spoon it into the bowl of the baked meringue. Reserve some for a dollop to put on the top. Next, *very gently* spoon your sugared strawberries on top of the cream. Voila! To serve: slice with a knife, just as you would pie.
Trust me, your guests, family, friends, and colleagues will ooh and aah at a beautiful Pavlova every time. And, you can top it with whatever fruit you want. Many use mixed berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries). I've seen red cherries which looks amazing. Figs, currants, pomegranate. Anything goes. But for summer in California, nothing beats sweet, red strawberries!
Love,
Pearl