A few weeks back we hosted an Australia Day party! For those who don't know, Oz Day is like our 4th of July: it's their Independence Day. January is summer in Australia, so the typical celebration consists of a barbecue and lots of beer. We managed to get the beer part right but the weather here in PDX was not quite made for bbq'ing given that it snowed a little that day. We were delighted that some of the Aussies show up in their formal wear: shorts and slip-flops! One even came with a "zinc'd" nose which was good fun.In the true Oz tradition, I decided to try making a beloved Australian dessert, pavlova, yet couldn't confine myself to keeping it totally traditional. For those who don't know what a pavlova is, it's a meringue shell baked until quite crisp on the outside then topped with whipped cream and fresh fruit. You cut it and serve it like a cake. My rendition includes all the traditional ingredients plus some mascarpone, vanilla, and lemon zest folded into the cream. It's quite easy to make so check it out.
Kim's Pavlova
(Serves 6-8)
For meringue shell:
6 large egg whites
1 1/2 cups superfine granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup boiling water
For topping:
3/4 cup heavy cream, very cold
1/2 cup superfine granulated sugar
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese, softened
1 teaspoon lemon zest, finely grated
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups assorted seasonal fruit such as raspberries, sliced strawberries and kiwifruit (the kiwi is a must for Aussies!)
Preheat oven to 350° F. and line a large baking sheet with foil.
In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat together whites, sugar, cornstarch, vinegar, and vanilla on low speed until just combined. Beat until mixture becomes foamy. Add boiling water a little at a time while you continue to beat on high speed 3 to 5 minutes, or until mixture forms stiff, glossy peaks.
Spoon meringue mixture onto baking sheet and spread into a 9- to 10-inch circle or make a rectangle if you prefer. Bake in middle of oven 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 200° F. and bake Pavlova 40 minutes more. Turn off oven and let Pavlova stand in oven 2 hours. Transfer Pavlova to a rack and cool completely (it will be hard on outer surface and soft inside.) All this can be done the day before.
At least 1-3 hours before serving, make the topping.
In a small bowl, combine the mascarpone, lemon zest, and vanilla until smooth and creamy. In a chilled bowl with clean beaters beat cream until foamy and then add the sugar a little at a time. Continue beating until it holds soft peaks. Gently fold a small amount of the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture. Then, fold the mascarpone-cream mixture into the the rest of the whipped cream until fairly evenly mixed. Spread the mixture over the Pavlova and place the sliced fruit on top.
Hold the pavlova in the refrigerator until close to serving time. Cut into slices and enjoy.
