Mini-Pavlovas

Well, I guess posting recipes is the thing right now. I was asked for the Mini-Pavlova recipe from New Year's Eve.

Here you go L.

8 large egg whites
punch of salt
1 1/2 C sugar
4 tsp corn starch
1 scant tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp white wine vinegar

3 baking sheets lined with parchment (very important to have parchment paper)

Pre-heat oven to 350.

Whisk the egg whites with the salt until they hold firm peaks but are not stiff. Gently add in the sugar, spoonful by spoonful, while still beating. Sprinkle the cornstarch, the vanilla, and vinegar on top. Fold in to combine.

Spoon the merengue onto the baking sheets in 4 inch circles. Try to make them shape into little bowls as much as you can and/or use the back of a spoon to make an indentation. Mine were a bit soft and spread out a little more than I'd hoped.

Put into oven, turn down to 300 and bake for 30 minutes. Then turn the oven off and leave them in the oven for another 30 minutes.

Remove from oven to cool.

Then, when ready to serve, make fresh whipped cream and have berries or other fruits ready to go. Try to serve as soon as possible so the pavlovas will be both crispy and chewy. Mine sat a bit too long and were softer than I'd hoped. Next year I'm going to experiment with reheating them a little to try to re-crisp them.

To assemble, place one merengue on a dessert plate. Add fruit and whipped cream. Place another on top. Add more whipped cream.