Mini Pavolvas

Do you ever find yourself struggling with what to make for dessert when guests come over?  This is perfect.  It's made from things you're likely to have around the house, and it's so quick that you can whip it up right before you eat dinner, bake it while you eat and then just let it cool in the oven until you're ready to eat it.  Best of all they are individual size.  It always feels more personal and special when you can serve each person their own plate of dessert.

If you've never had pavlova before, the outside is nice and crispy, and the inside is like delicious marshmallow.  Then with the sweet soft cream and the tart berries you can't help but devour it!

Pavlova:

• 3 egg whites (preferably at room temperature)
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1  cup whipping cream
• Something to top it with - fresh or frozen fruit especially raspberries (as in my picture), strawberries, blueberries, or a nice tart lemon or lime curd (recipe to follow)

Recipe from allrecipes.com

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.

Step 1:
In a clean, very dry bowl of your stand mixer add your egg whites and beat until frothy.  I can't stress enough that the bowl and everything you use must be completely dry. Even the slightest bit of water and your egg whites won't whip up.

Step 2:
Once your egg whites are frothy add 3/4 cup sugar while continuing to beat the egg whites on medium speed.  Continue beating until the egg white mixture forms soft peaks.  It will look like fluffy whipped cream.

Step3:
Using your spatula (or even your hand) fold in the lemon juice.  Then in a small bowl mix the remaining 1/4 cup sugar with the cornstarch.  Then fold that into the egg whites as well.

Step 4:
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Then use a round cookie cutter in the size you want to make to form your round shapes.  I used a 3" cookie cutter, and I got about 6 out of this recipe.  Just place your cookie cutter down on the parchment, fill with about 2-3 inches of your meringue mixture and then pull up.  Voila!  You can use a palette knife or a regular knife to smooth down the top edges if you want, but you don' have to.

Step 5:
Bake for 30 minutes then turn off the oven leaving the pavlovas inside until you're ready to eat it.

Step 6:
Prepare your toppings.  Whip the cream, defrost your berries and add some sugar if you want.  Then top and serve!

With the lemon curd it's almost like a lemon meringue pie.... but it does take longer to make. In case you want to, here's the lemon curd recipe I used:

Lemon curd: (makes enough for 3 pavlovas, you might want to double it if you're doing all lemon)

• 3 egg yolks
• zest of one lemon
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 6 Tablespoons sugar
• 4 Tablespoons soft butter

Recipe as found on marthastewart.com

In a saucepan add the butter, sugar, and yolks.  Give it a nice whisk to combine, I find this helps avoid clumps of egg.  Add the lemon zest and the juice and mix (it will look a little curdled).  Turn on the heat low and stir.  Keep stirring.  Stir until it's thick ... kind of like pudding.  Transfer it to another bowl, and let cool.  If you're leaving it overnight, cover it with plastic wrap making sure to put the plastic right up against the lemon curd, this will avoid that skin developing on the top. Then refrigerate until you're ready to use.