Mini Strawberry Rhubarb Pavlovas Food

NICOLE'S RHUBARB-STRAWBERRY PAVLOVA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Line two baking pans with parchment paper. Set aside. In the bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites, salt, vanilla extract, and cream of tartar on medium-high speed until medium peaks form. Slowly add sugar; continue beating until firm peaks form. Fold in cornstarch.
• Transfer mixture to a large pastry bag. Use scissors to cut 3 inches off of the tip. Pipe mixture into eight large mounds onto prepared baking pans. Bake until meringues are crisp on the outside but their consistency resembles marshmallow on the inside, about 1 hour. Serve with poached rhubarb with strawberries, yogurt cream, and strawberry sauce.

VEGAN PAVLOVAS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
• For the aquafaba pavlova: Strain the chickpeas directly into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. There should be about 3/4 cup liquid; reserve the chickpeas for another use. Add the cornstarch and cream of tartar to the liquid and beat on medium-high speed until very foamy. While still beating, add the superfine sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, then continue to beat until the mixture forms stiff and glossy peaks, 4 to 6 minutes. Once the meringue is stiff, beat in the cocoa powder and vanilla until smooth and combined.
• Spoon the meringue in 4 equal mounds on the prepared baking sheet, then use a spoon or small offset spatula to smooth each mount into a 4-inch wide disk. Make a small indent in the center of each mound to hold the toppings. Make sure to leave at least 2 inches between each disk in case they spread when baking.
• Bake until set and no longer glossy, about 2 hours. Turn the oven off and let the pavlovas sit in the closed oven until they have dried out inside, about 1 hour more. (The pavlovas will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.)
• For the whipped coconut cream and strawberries: Meanwhile, open the can of chilled coconut cream and scoop off the solid top into a chilled medium bowl, leaving the liquid behind; reserve the liquid for another use. Beat the solids with an electric mixer on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add 3 teaspoons of the confectioners' sugar and beat until the sugar is fully incorporated, about 1 minute more. Cover and chill until ready to use, up to overnight.
• Toss the strawberries with the remaining 2 teaspoons confectioners' sugar in a small bowl until fully incorporated. Let the strawberries sit until they're slightly softened, glossy and starting to release some natural juices, about 5 minutes.
• To serve, place the pavlovas on a serving plate. Top each with some whipped coconut cream and macerated berries.

INDIVIDUAL RHUBARB RIPPLE PAVLOVAS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 1. Line two large baking sheets with non-stick baking parchment. Draw eight circles, 6-8cm in diameter, on the parchment, then flip over. In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gradually whisk in the sugar until thick and glossy, then the cornflour. Pile the meringue in soft swirls onto the marked circles on the baking parchment, then bake on the lowest shelf for 1 hr until crisp on the outside and dry underneath. Cool, then gently peel off the paper. Can be made up to a day in advance, just store in airtight containers.
• Place the rhubarb batons in a large pan along with the sugar, vanilla and about 200ml water. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cook very gently until just soft. Discard the vanilla. Remove the rhubarb from the pan, reserving the cooking liquid. Purée half of the fruit with a hand blender or liquidiser, then strain into a bowl through a fine mesh sieve.
• Reduce the rhubarb cooking liquid until thick and syrupy. Leave the rhubarb and syrup to cool. Can be made up to two days ahead and chilled until needed.
• To serve, whip the cream until it just forms peaks. Carefully ripple the rhubarb purée through the cream. Plate each meringue and spoon on some of the rhubarb rippled cream. Top with the remaining batons and spoon some of the rhubarb syrup on top and around the plate.

PAVLOVA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or using a hand mixer), whip the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt in a clean, dry bowl until foamy. Add the granulated sugar, cornstarch, vinegar, and vanilla and continue whipping until stiff, smooth and glossy, about 8 minutes more. On a sheet of parchment paper cut to fit a sheet pan, use a pencil to draw or trace a circle 9-inches in diameter. Line the sheet pan with the parchment, pencil side down (you should still be able to see the circle). Spoon the egg whites into the circle, using the back of the spoon to smooth the top and sides of the disk. Bake in the center of the oven for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 300 degrees and bake until the meringue has puffed up and cracked on the top and the surface is lightly browned to the color of cafe au lait, about 45 minutes more. Turn off the oven, prop the oven door open, and let the pavlova cool in the oven at least 30 minutes, to room temperature. This ensures a gradual cooling, which protects the delicate meringue.
• Whip the cream and brown sugar together until stiff. Spoon it in the center of the cooled pavlova and spread out to within 1/2-inch of the edge. Arrange the slices of kiwi around the edge. Arrange the slices of strawberry in the middle. To serve, slice into wedges with a serrated knife.

STRAWBERRY-RHUBARB ROLLED PAVLOVA

Steps:

• Pavlova: Preheat oven to 400°F. Brush a 9-by-12 1/2-inch rimmed baking sheet (quarter sheet pan) with butter. Line with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on long sides; butter parchment. Whisk egg whites with salt on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes.
• Continue whisking, gradually adding granulated sugar, until fully combined and stiff, glossy peaks form, 7 to 9 minutes more. Beat in vanilla, then cornstarch and vinegar. Spread mixture evenly into prepared sheet.
• Reduce oven temperature to 375°F and bake until pavlova puffs and collapses slightly, and turns golden brown and crisp on top, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven; let cool on sheet on a wire rack 5 minutes. Lightly dust top with confectioners' sugar. Turn out onto wire rack lined with a new piece of parchment, then peel off baked parchment and let cool 20 minutes more.
• Filling: Spread jam evenly over pavlova, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Top with sliced strawberries in a single layer. Beat cream on medium-high speed to stiff peaks, then spread evenly over berries. Starting from one long end, roll up pavlova to form a tight log (lift with parchment from rack to make rolling easier), and place on a serving platter, seam-side down. If not serving immediately, refrigerate, wrapped in parchment, up to 1 day.