PPQ: Petite Pavlovas

     Last weeks, I made Creme Brulee for the first time ever. The main reason why I had never made it before was because I was afraid of the kitchen torch. Isn't that funny? I just would think about all the times my Mom would tell me not to play with fire. Then she went and bought me the kitchen torch one year for Christmas. I didn't use it because I needed the butane. So, the next year (I am serious that a whole year went by) my Mom bought me the butane. Then there was no excuse but to try it out. It wasn't as scary as I thought. I did think it was sort of cool. 

      Since I could make the Creme Brulee, then I figured I could make the pavlovas too. Don't worry I didn't try the kitchen torch on it. This weeks Project Pastry Queen pick was by Emily at A Gift Nutmeg. The pavlovas are not hard to make but please use caution when it is in the oven. It could brown too dark. 

     I will share something that surprised me. My husband liked it. Yes, my husband who doesn't eat fruit and occasionally the hidden vegetable liked this dessert. My youngest daughter likes the pavlovas. She keeps asking for the big marshmallow dessert. I took a vote if the family wanted a lemon filling or a raspberry filling. The raspberry won.

 

Petite Pavlovas with Raspberry Cream and Fresh Fruit
Meringue
4 large egg whites
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. 
2. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
3. With a pencil, trace four evenly spaced 4 inch diameter circles onto the parchment paper. Flip the paper over but make sure you can see the tracing.
4. In a mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites, cream of tartar, and the pinch of salt on high speed for 2 minutes. The meringue should have formed soft peaks.
5. Continue to beat the meringue at high speed, while adding 1/8 cup of sugar at a time. The meringue is ready when stiff peaks form.
6. Spoon the meringue onto the parchment paper using the penciled circles as a guide. 
7. The meringue circles should have a 1 inch rim.
8. Bake the meringue for about 1 hour. Check the meringues after 30 minutes to ensure they aren't turning brown.
9. After the meringue has baked, keep them in the turned off oven for at least one hour or over night.

Filling and assembly:
1/2 cup of raspberry or berry jam
1/2 cup of whipped cream
fresh blueberries, strawberries, or other fresh fruit.

Directions:

1. Mix the jam with the whipped cream. 
2. Spoon on top of the meringue and top with the slices of fresh fruit.

Recipe adapted from The Pastry Queen Cookbook.  
 **Use the left over egg yolks for Creme Brulee**

The inside of the pavlovas

Did you already know..............
-The dessert is named after the famous Russian ballet dancer 
  Anna Pavlova.
-The dessert was first created in 1926 after Anna Pavlova toured 
  New Zealand and Australia. 
-The desert is a meringue based dessert with a crisp crust but a soft filling.