Mixed Berry Pavlova

Mixed Berry Pavlova (mini's and large)

4 extra large egg whites, at room temp (I feel organic egg whites work best)
pinch kosher salt
1 C sugar
2 t cornstarch
1 t white wine vinegar
1/2 t pure vanilla ext (or vanilla bean paste...leaves the fun vanilla bean specks)

Preheat oven to 180 degrees. (My oven only has a dial with small marks, so I erred on the side of hot, closer to 200 than 175).

Place a sheet of parchment paper on a sheet pan.  Draw a 9 inch circle on the paper for a large and draw 5 smaller circles spaced as best you can (4 1/2 inch, but I think I'll go smaller next time and maybe get 6 out of it).  Turn the paper over so you don't get pencil on the meringue.

Place egg whites and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.  Beat the egg whites on high speed until firm, about 1 minute. With mixer still on high, slowly add the sugar and beat until it makes firm shiny peaks, about 2 minutes.

Remove the bowl from the mixer, sift the cornstarch onto the beaten egg whites, add the vinegar and vanilla, and fold in lightly with a rubber spatula.  Pile the meringue into the middle of the circle on the parchment paper and smooth it with in the circle, making a rough disk.  For the smaller meringues, I divided it a spoonful at a time, trying to make it as even as possible between the 5 circles. Smooth out to create a flat top for the whipped cream and the fruit.

Bake for 1 1/2 hours for the large meringue and 45 minutes for the smaller ones.  Turn off the oven and let large meringue sit for another hour as the oven cools, and 30 minutes for the smaller ones. Bring out of oven and let cool completely.

Once it is cool, transfer to a serving platter, top with sweetened whipped cream and any fruit you like.  The mixed berry combo is divine.

Sweetened Whipped Cream

1 C heavy whipping cream
2-4 T powdered sugar
1 t pure vanilla ext

Place cream in the bowl of an electric mixer.  Beat on high until cream starts to thicken.  Add vanilla and sugar to taste.  Continue to beat until really thick.


*Recipe for meringue is from Ina Garten via foodnetwork.com
*The meringue is so fragile, when putting cream on one, the whole thing collapsed from the weight of the cream.  Still tasted divine!
*Also, one of my ovens does NOT work for these. It's a wall oven and I wonder if it doesn't vent the moisture properly. I don't know, but the ones I cooked in it came out gooey and inedible until I put them back into the other oven and cooked them to death.  My free standing oven works best.
*Month 1 of Dessert of the Month Club, only posting the successes.