Raspberry Pavlova

It’s summer time in Ontario and despite the fact that we haven’t had great weather (great to me=30 degrees or hotter) we are in the midst of raspberry season. My friend Lisa and I started our vacation with berry picking and jam making. While picking our raspberries we decided that pavlova was the only option for the evening’s dessert. I used my mom’s pavlova recipe and she assures me that although other recipes call for cornstarch and vinegar, these are unnecessary additions. (This is according to her good friend Mary, a cookery expert in the North of Ireland).

Whipping the Pavlova

Ingredients

4 large egg whites at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar beating until stiff and glassy. Fold in vanilla. Cover a cookie tray with foil. Spread mixture on foil  in  an 8 inch circle. Ensure that the outer edges of the pavlova are peaked and thicker than the middle. This will create a lip around the edge of the pavlova that will contain your filling. Bake at 275 for 50-60 minutes. Turn off heat and allow to stand in the oven for at least 1 hour. Transfer the pavlova to a cooling rack. When cool remove from aluminum foil and place on serving plate.

Undressed pavlova

Just prior to serving, prepare whipped cream and spread on top of the pavlova. Place your favorite berries or fruit on top. Enjoy.

Raspberry Pavlova

Note: You can play around with the pavlova, making it into a rectangle or creating individual pavlova servings. Unadorned pavlova can be wrapped well and frozen for future use.

Individual Pavlovas