Pavlova
4 egg whites at room temperature
2/3 cup finely granulated white sugar
4 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup heavy whipping cream
approximately 1 cup fresh fruit
(kiwis and strawberries are traditional)
pastry bag and star tips
baking parchment paper
baking sheet
1. Set your oven to 250 F.
2. Put the egg whites in the bowl. Add the vinegar. Beat the egg whites until fluffy.
3. Once the egg whites are fluffy, slowly add sugar.
4. When the egg whites are very stiff, add the cornstarch and the vanilla, whisking a few more turns. Do not overwhisk here!
5. Wet the baking parchment paper, crinkle it up, line the baking sheet with it. Draw a circle on the parchment paper as a guide for the meringue, then turn it over.
Add a tip to your pastry bag. (Star tips, open or closed, work well). Fill your pastry bag about half full with the egg foam and twist it closed. Squeeze the pastry bag and make a meringue circle about 10 inches in diameter on the wax paper. If you dont have a pastry bag, use a spoon to mound the meringue on the wax paper and make a well in the middle, creating a bowl-shaped shell.
6. When your circle is done, pipe a bunch of stars along the edge. Keep piping higher and higher until you have a nice deep bowl.
7. Put the meringue in the oven. After 45 minutes, turn the heat off. Leave the meringue in for another hour, or until it is completely cool. You can even leave it overnight.
8. While the meringue is in the oven, cut up your fruit.
9. Remove the meringue bowl from the oven. Make sure its nice and coolif its still warm, wait and try again in a little while.
10. Whisk the cream until until its stiff.
11. Fill the meringue bowl with whipped cream and put the fruit on top for a delicate, airy treat.
12. Serve promptly, so the meringue doesnt get soggy from the cream.
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