Pavlova with lemon curd
Pavlova. The word evokes the image of a sylph-like creature, lighter than air… someone who clearly never ate this dessert on a regular basis!
I have probably tried every Pavlova recipe under the sun. Okay, ALMOST ever Pavlova recipe. I finally found The One that appears to have actually been written in the land where the toilets flush backward.
I offer you my take on this sugary abomination - which I serve with lemon curd, whipped cream, and a side of insulin.
This recipe serves 8 gluttons.
Individual Pavlovas
6 large egg whites at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1.5 cups sugar
1.5 tablespoons cornstarch
1.5 teaspoons vanilla
pinch of salt
I discovered I had run out of cornstarch halfway into this recipe. The egg whites had been whipped and a cup of the sugar had already been added when I noticed this. Because of this, the raw meringue sat patiently while I went to the store to buy cornstarch. When I returned, the sugar crystals had completely dissolved into the egg white, which serendipitously afforded me the most perfectly-textured Pav I’ve ever made - slightly chewy, light, and crisp. Here’s how I suggest reproducing the effect:
Whip the egg whites until stiff, gradually adding a cup of the sugar. Let them sit for a bit - anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour. Stir the cornstarch into the remaining sugar. Re-whip the meringue every 5 minutes or so over a 10-20 minute period of time, adding a little of the cornstarch-sugar each time. This will allow the sugar to dissolve completely before you bake the meringues.
Dab out 8 flattish eggs of meringue onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet and bake at 250 Fahrenheit for an hour.
While they are baking, make the curd:
Lemon Curd
I adapted this by misreading a lemon bar recipe on epicureous. The original called for four tablespoons of butter. Ooops! *giggle*
6 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
Zest from three large lemons (I mention this first because once you’ve squeezed the lemons, it’s murder to zest ‘em!)
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from the denuded lemons)
half a cup of butter (the regular salted stuff)
Nuke the butter and sugar together, then add the lemon juice and egg yolks. Nuke until it just starts to bubble - give it a whisk then nuke again until it just bubbles. Cool and toss it into the food processor with the zest. Pour into a bowl and into the fridge to cool.
To serve:
Plate an “egg” of meringue. Top with a generous dollop of lemon curd, then with sweetened, vanilla-flavoured whipped cream.
You will feel a little sick after you eat this. I tell you this because I know you will eat it anyway, and this way I get to say “told you so!”