Pavlova

This is a very special dessert! What a beautiful addition to compliment any dessert table! Crisp, sweet meringue, filled with fresh whipped cream and fruit is a wonderful balance of sweet and refreshing. #Sonomnom4u #Pavlova #Vegetarian

6 egg whites

1-1/4 cup sugar, food processored to make it finer grain

1 tsp white wine vinegar

1 tsp cornstarch

2 cups heavy cream

1/4 cup confectioners sugar

1 pint fresh blueberries

1 pint fresh raspberries

1 pint fresh cut strawberries

sprigs of mint for garnish

Preheat oven to 285°F

Line a pizza pan with foil and then place 2 pieces of parchment paper on top of foil , overlapping to cover the area.

Directions:

Mix the cornstarch and the white wine vinegar until well blended.

In a stand alone mixer with the whisk attachment and a very clean bowl, add 6 freshly separated egg whites (store bought whites don't whip as good) Whip on medium speed until peaks begin to form (This will take a few minutes) Add the finely crushed sugar, 1/2 cup at a time and increase the speed to high. continue beating when all sugar is added until it is thick and forms heavy peaks. The entire egg white whipping process takes about 10 minutes total. When it is ready, remove bowl from the stand and gently stir in the cornstarch/white wine vinegar mixture.

Spoon the egg white mixture onto the parchment paper in the shape of a 12 inch diameter "O". Make the mixture higher in order to use all of the miixture. Take a spoon and slide it all the way around the middle of the "O" wall to make a trench in the meringue. (See photo below) Take the meringue you scooped out to make the trench and add it back onto the outside and inside of the trench.

Place in oven for 60 minutes. After 60 minutes, turn off oven and don't open the door. Leave it in oven until it cools completely. You can leave it in overnight or all day--as long as the oven is turned off after 1 hour. This is a very delicate item. I usually serve it on the pizza pan since it breaks easily if you try to remove it.

After waiting time, remove the pizza pan with the meringue ring from the oven. It will have cracks and that is ok. It may even break a bit and that is ok, too!

In a stand alone mixer with the whisk attachment, pour 2 cups of heavy cream and a 1/4 cup of confectioners sugar. Beat on medium speed for 1-2 minutes, or until cream is whipped and thick.

Scrape whipped cream out with a spatula and fill the trench of the meringue ring.

Place whole berries and freshly cut strawberries all over the cream and garnish with fresh mint leaves. Serve immediately!

You can make the cream ahead of time but it may collapse in the fridge. Just re whip it. It will be ok.