Strawberry Pavlova

It was just another day. I was online browsing recipes as I usually do and I made a discovery that would forever change my life. I saw a picture of a lovely white meringue, topped with fruit and cream. It looked absolutely delicious. I thought, hey, why not? Let's give it a try. Little did I know, just how freaking good this dish is. Pavlova is a dish that originated in New Zealand. It's a meringue that is topped with cream and fruit, traditionally. I've never had anything like it. The outer shell gives a little bit of a crispy texture. The inside has a marshmallow texture. It is the lightest dessert ever. Topped with the fresh whipped cream and strawberries to add some sweetness. It has all the elements you want in a dessert and all the elements really contrast well with each other. Strawberries go great with it, but really any berries will work. If you haven't had Pavlova, it will change your life. Seriously. You'll thank me later.

HOW TO MAKE STRAWBERRY PAVLOVA:

• Ensure that the egg whites are at room temperature. This will ensure you get a proper meringue. Also, we want to make sure these meringues don't stick to our baking sheet. You'll use a parchment or silicone sheet. You can use a stand mixer or  Pre-heat your oven to 200°F.

• To begin, prepare your oven and baking sheet. Using a whip attachment, whip up the egg whites on low speed until slightly frothy.

• Add the cream of tartar and increase the speed to high. Continue whipping until tracks form and the whites are at a soft peak. It should be a soft, drooping peak when you lift the beater.

• With the mixer running, gradually add in the sugar, vanilla, vinegar and cornstarch.

• Continue whipping until it's a shiny stiff meringue with stiff peaks. For me, it only took a couple of minutes after adding the rest of the ingredients. You can stop the mixer and check if you're not sure. If it's stiff and holds it's peak, you're good to go.

• You can pipe the meringue, use a cutter to ensure that there's an even amount, or you can just spoon them onto the sheet. Drop the meringue into 5 equal mounds with a couple inches between them on the prepared baking sheet.
• Dip a soup spoon in hot water, wiping off each time you dip it and you the back of the spoon to create a divot in the center of the mound. This will be where your cream and fruit will go.

• Bake for 1 ½ hours and then turn off the heat and leave the meringue in the oven to dry for an hour.
• Remove from the oven and let them cool completely.

• Now, prepare the cream and the berries. I like to macerate the strawberries in a little sugar and lemon juice. If you'd like to top it with a strawberry sauce, that would be delicious, as well.

• Top them as you please and enjoy. These don't last long around here. I finished them all off within the hour. Hey, I can't help it! They're so light. It's like I'm eating air. It's my ultimate dessert cheat code, when I want something sweet without a ton of fat.

MORE GREAT RECIPES:

• Easy Meatball Subs

• My Ultimate Cheesy Creamy Mac & Cheese

• Mom's Lebanese Lemon and Garlic Chicken

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