My strawberry pavlova

In Dordogne, we are lucky to have many strawberries varieties : the famous Garriguette of course but also the Mara des bois, Cléry, Charlotte… in total there are about 9 varieties cultivated in our beautiful area, which is perfect because we can enjoy eating strawberries from May to September .

On my side, I use them of course in season for the guests’ breakfasts: in fruit salads, with a little verbena or mint from the garden, the guests enjoy them in the morning. Or stewed with rhubarb from the garden, it gives pep! !

But it’s during the dinners desserts that I particularly like to serve them, and Pavlova is one of my favorite recipes because it’s both gourmet and light on the palate, and it’s also a treat for the eyes!

INGREDIENTS FOR 8 GUESTS

• For the meringue :
  • 4 egg white
  • 200 g sugar
  • 1 teaspoon of white vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon of Maïzena (cornstarch)
  • in option : 1 teaspoon of limoncello or mint syrup (uncolored and organic)

• For the chantilly :
  • 50 cl of liquid cream (preferably plain)
  • 40 to 50 g of powdered sugar
• 250-300g of nice fresh strawberries ( Garriguettes or Mara des bois)

PREPARATION

1. Preheat your oven 120°c
2. Whip the egg white until hard starting slowly until they foam
3. When they start getting hard, add 1/3 of the sugar (mixed with the cornstarch) then add the rest step by step.
4. Add the white vinegar at the end and, if you wish to, 1 teaspoon of limoncello or mint syrup. The mix shall be shiny and the peaks shall be stiff .
5. Pour the preparation on a silicone or a baking sheet making a hole in the center of your circles because the meringue will swell as it cooks and you need to be able to place your whipped cream and strawberries in the center.
6. Once ready, put in your oven for 1h30
7. While the meringue is cooking, place your bowl and whisk in the freezer so that you can properly whip up your whipped cream (the cream must be taken out at the last moment so that it is cold too).
8. Maximum 1H00 to 1H30 before serving, whip your cream starting slowly with your whisk, then add the powdered sugar when it starts to get stiff.
9. Place your whipped cream in a piping bag fitted with a fluted tip and arrange it harmoniously on the meringue
10. Finish by arranging the halved strawberries in a corolla, inner side up (it is always more appetizing to show the heart of the fruit).
11. Add a few sprigs of freshly chopped mint or lime zest if you have flavored the meringue with limoncello

Enjoy !