CoffeeCrew Blog: Rites of Spring #34 - Seriously the best dessert ever

Rites of Spring #34 - Seriously the best dessert ever - Toni`s Pavlova · 13.06.10 by colin newell

I had the most extraordinary dessert today – ever… in my life…
Pavlova. Never had it before. Maybe I am a little biased (but not that much..)
This was heaven in my mouth – apparently Pavlova is some kind of dessert of the royalty. It certainly tasted that way.
Served with pipping hot black coffee – on the patio in Brentwood, near Victoria B.C. Canada – on a blazing sunny day.

The picture below was taken in full sun on my LUMIX. Click the photo for the full size.

One cup super-fine berry sugar
1 teaspoon corn starch
4 extra large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon Cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup whipping cream

Oven 275 to 300 (F)
The Meringue
In a medium glass mix 1/4 cup of the sugar with the corn starch
mix til smooth – put aside

Beat whites until foamy
add salt and cream of tartar
continue beating until soft peaks form
add remaining 3/4 cup sugar – 2 teaspoon at a time
while beating constantly until peaks stiffen
beat in corn starch mixture

On cookie sheet – lined with parchment paper –
Put mixture in the center of the tray – dinner plate sized
(drop temp. to 250) and bake for 1 hr 15 minutes

Turn oven off – and let cool completely in oven (leave overnight)
Alternately – Take out of the oven – peel off parchment – put back in oven
on cookie rack – can stay in oven 2-3 days.

Topping

Cup of whipping cream: Beat (w/ vanilla and sugar)
2 hours prior to serving – top meringue with whipping cream
cover with whatever fresh fruit you have. Toni used fresh Kiwi,
Mitchell Farm strawberries and rhubarb (see below) from her garden.

OPT: Whip cream + 400g Mascarpone (thicker and richer!)

Poached rhubarb (from above) – 1 pound rhubarb – 10 stalks 1/2” chunks
cup of water + 3/4 sugar (white) – teaspoon PORT or Brandy optional
bring the sugar to a boil – add rhubarb – reduce to heat to lo.
simmer for 6 minutes.
at 6 min. remove from heat – put rhubarb in a bowl (on top of ice bath)