Berry Pavlovas Food

BERRY PAVLOVAS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a large sheet of parchment.
• In a food processor, pulse the sugar to make it fine (or use extra-fine sugar) and set aside. In a medium glass bowl, whip the egg whites with an electric mixer on low speed until foamy, not quite making peaks. Add half of the sugar and whip until stiff peaks form. In a small bowl, sift the remaining sugar with the cornstarch. Add to the egg whites along with the vanilla and vinegar and blend until incorporated.
• Spoon the mixture into 4 piles on the prepared baking sheet. Use a spoon to create a well in each pile. Bake for 40 minutes, and then turn off the oven and leave the pavlovas in the oven untouched for another 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
• Meanwhile, whip the cream until it makes soft peaks. Top the cooled pavlovas with the whipped cream and strawberries. Make a quick sauce by thinning the jam with the hot water and drizzle over the pavlovas. Serve.

MIXED BERRY PAVLOVAS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250°F and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment.
• Swirl whites in a metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water until barely warm to the touch. Beat whites with salt in a standing electric mixer until they hold soft peaks. Beat in 2 cups superfine sugar and continue beating until mixture holds stiff, glossy peaks (see cooks' note, below). Stir together remaining 1/2 cup superfine sugar and cornstarch. Beat into meringue, then beat in vinegar.
• Spoon 8 mounds of meringue (each about 2 inches high and approximately 1/2 cup) 1 inch apart on each lined baking sheet. Divide any remaining meringue among mounds. Bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until crisp but still soft inside, 1 to 1 1/4 hours total. If meringues are still not crisp after 1 1/4 hours, turn off oven and cool in oven 1 hour. Transfer from parchment to racks to cool. (Meringues may stick if cooled completely on paper.)
• Just before serving, toss strawberries with lime juice and 1/4 cup granulated sugar and let stand, tossing occasionally until sugar is dissolved, 10 minutes. Add blackberries and toss to coat.
• Beat cream with vanilla and remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar with cleaned beaters. Tap meringues gently with back of a spoon to create indentations, then mound some whipped cream and berries onto each.

MIXED BERRY PAVLOVA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180ºF.
• Place a sheet of parchment paper on a sheet pan. Draw a 9-inch circle on the paper, using a 9-inch plate as a guide, then turn the paper over so the circle is on the reverse side. (This way you won't get a pencil mark on the meringue.)
• Place the egg whites and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat the egg whites on high speed until firm, about 1 minute. With the mixer still on high, slowly add the sugar and beat until it makes firm, shiny peaks, about 2 minutes.
• Remove the bowl from the mixer, sift the cornstarch onto the beaten egg whites, add the vinegar and vanilla, and fold in lightly with a rubber spatula. Pile the meringue into the middle of the circle on the parchment paper and smooth it within the circle, making a rough disk. Bake for 1 1/2 hours. Turn off the oven, keep the door closed, and allow the meringue to cool completely in the oven, about 1 hour. It will be crisp on the outside and soft on the inside.
• Invert the meringue disk onto a plate and spread the top completely with sweetened whipped cream. Combine the strawberries, blueberries and raspberries in a bowl and toss with about 1/2 cup of raspberry sauce, or enough to coat the berries lightly. Spoon the berries carefully into the middle of the Pavlova, leaving a border of cream and meringue. Serve immediately in large scoops with extra raspberry sauce.
• Sweetened Whipped Cream (makes 1 cup): Whip the cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (you can also use a hand mixer). When it starts to thicken, add the sugar and vanilla and continue to beat until firm. Don't overbeat!
• Triple Raspberry Sauce (makes 2 cups): Place the raspberries, sugar and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 4 minutes. Pour the cooked raspberries, the jam, and framboise into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and process until smooth. Chill.

STRAWBERRY PAVLOVA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2.
• Using a pencil, mark out the circumference of a dinner plate on baking parchment.
• Whisk 4 egg whites with a hand mixer until they form stiff peaks, then whisk in 250g caster sugar, 1 tbsp at a time, until the meringue looks glossy.
• Whisk in 1 tsp white wine vinegar, 1 tsp cornflour and 1 tsp vanilla extract.
• Spread the meringue inside the circle, creating a crater by making the sides a little higher than the middle.
• Bake for 1 hr, then turn off the heat and let the Pavlova cool completely inside the oven.
• When the meringue is cool, chop 100g of the hulled strawberries. Mix them with 100g of the redcurrants and 2 tbsp icing sugar.
• Place in a food processor, blitz until smooth, then push the fruit mixture through a sieve.
• Whip 350ml double cream with the remaining 1 tbsp icing sugar and spread it over the meringue. Put the remaining 400g hulled and halved strawberries and 100g redcurrants on the cream and finally pour the sauce over the whole lot.

TWO-BERRY PAVLOVA

Steps:

• Place egg whites in a large bowl. Line a baking sheet with parchment; draw a 10-in. circle on paper. Invert paper., Preheat oven to 300°. Add cream of tartar to egg whites; beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high after each addition until sugar is dissolved. Continue beating until stiff glossy peaks form. Fold in cornstarch and lemon juice., Spoon meringue onto prepared pan; with the back of a spoon, shape into a 10-in. circle, forming a shallow well in the center. Bake until meringue is set and dry, 45-55 minutes. Turn off oven (do not open oven door); leave meringue in oven 1 hour. Remove from oven; cool completely on baking sheet., To serve, toss berries with 1/4 cup sugar in a small bowl; let stand 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add remaining sugar; beat until soft peaks form., Remove meringue from parchment; place on a serving plate. Spoon whipped cream over top, forming a slight well in the center. Top with berries.