Summer Berry Pavlova Recipes

SUMMER BERRY PAVLOVA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F/gas 2. Put your egg whites into a clean bowl and whisk them at a medium speed until they start to form nice firm peaks.
• With your mixer still running, gradually add the sugar and a pinch of sea salt. Turn the mixer up to the highest setting and whisk for 7 to 8 minutes more until the meringue is white, glossy and smooth. If it feels grainy, whisk for a little bit longer, being careful not to let the meringue collapse.
• Line two baking trays with baking paper. Divide the meringue mixture evenly between them and shape each blob into a circle about 20cm in diameter.
• Put both trays into the oven and bake for 1 hour until the meringues look slightly golden and are fluffy in the middle.
• Halve or quarter the large strawberries and leave the smaller ones whole. Mix them with the raspberries.
• Whip the cream with the sugar until it forms soft peaks, then stir in the yoghurt. Halve the vanilla pod lengthways, scrape out the seeds and fold them into the creamy mixture.
• Spoon half the cream mixture on top of one of the meringue halves and smooth it out. Sprinkle half of your berries evenly around the cream mixture. Place the other meringue on top and press down gently to stick them together.
• Spread the remaining cream mixture over the top layer and sprinkle the remaining berries on top. Pick a few small mint leaves, scatter over and enjoy!

PAVLOVA WITH FRESH SUMMER BERRIES & RASPBERRY COULIS SAUCE RECIPE - (4.3/5)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250°F. and place rack in center of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and draw a 7-inch (18-cm) circle on the paper. In the bowl of your electric mixer, with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until they hold soft peaks. Start adding the sugar, a tablespoon at a time, and continue to beat until the meringue holds very stiff peaks. (Test to see if the sugar is fully dissolved by rubbing a little of the meringue between your thumb and index finger. The meringue should feel smooth, not gritty. If it feels gritty the sugar has not fully dissolved so keep beating until it feels smooth between your fingers). Sprinkle the vinegar and cornstarch over the top of the meringue and, with a rubber spatula, fold in. Gently spread the meringue inside the circle drawn on the parchment paper, smoothing the edges. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes or until the outside is dry and takes on a very pale cream color. Turn the oven off, leave the door slightly ajar, and let the meringue cool completely in the oven. (The outside of the meringue will feel firm to the touch, if gently pressed, but as it cools you will get a little cracking and you will see that the inside is soft and marshmallowy.) The cooled meringue can be made and stored in a cool dry place, in an airtight container, for a few days. For the raspberry coulis sauce (optional): If you are using frozen raspberries, there is no need to thaw them. Simply rinse and put into a saucepan. Add the water, sugar, lemon rind and juice. Bring to a boil and allow the fruit to cook-- 5 to10 minutes. Ideally, using an immersion blender makes it very easily to puree the fruit. Otherwise, you can use a potato masher. It is important that you stain the pureed fruit with a fine mesh strainer. Push the juice through, by stirring the cooked fruit. You will end up with a lot of seeds! Toss the seeds. I prefer to have my coulis sauce a little thicker. I use about 1-2 teaspoons of Clear Jel (or cornstarch), with enough water to dissolve it (about 1 tablespoon); whisk completely before adding back to the strained fruit puree. Add this to the strained fruit puree and cook until it thickens. If desired, add the Chambord to the coulis sauce. I like to strain the sauce, again, to remove any potential lumps from the cornstarch (or Clearjel). Refrigerate until cold. I have stored this for up to 2 weeks, without any problems. Drizzle the coulis sauce over ice cream, custards, fruit or panna cota. I've even added this to warm maple syrup for a different flavor with pancakes. Just before serving gently place the meringue onto a serving plate. Whip the cream in your electric mixer, with the whisk attachment, until soft peaks form. Sweeten with the sugar and vanilla and then mound the softly whipped cream into the center of the meringue. Arrange the fruit randomly, or in a decorative pattern, on top of the cream. If desired, drizzle a raspberry coulis sauce over each serving. Serve immediately as this dessert does not hold for more than a few hours.