New England Blueberries
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Pavlovas and meringues are greatly underused pastries yet very easy to make. Crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside, they are a perfect base for berries and cream.
About this recipe
When considering this dessert, it occurred to me there would be four yolks left over from making the meringue. My Scottish heritage could not abide the thought of not putting them to use, so I made a lemon curd to go in the middle. It turns out being thrifty can taste really good.
Instructions
Serves 4
For the lemon curd:
4 egg yolks (reserve whites for Pavlova)
1⁄3 cup granulated sugar
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1⁄4 cup fresh lemon juice
4 tablespoons butter, cut into cubes
For the almond Pavlova meringue:
4 egg whites
1⁄2 cup sugar (superfine, if you have it)
1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1⁄3 cup confectioner’s sugar
1⁄2 cup almonds, toasted and then ground to meal consistency
For the topping:
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon confectioner’s sugar, or to taste
Fresh blueberries (up to 2 cups)
For the lemon curd: Put yolks, sugar, zest and juice in the pot of a double boiler over simmer- ing water. Whisk constantly until thickened, about 8 min- utes. Remove from heat and add butter cubes. Continue whisking until incorporated. Let cool, whisking occasionally to prevent lumps. Set aside in the refrigerator.
For the Pavlova meringue: Pre- heat oven to 300° and line a baking sheet with parch- ment. With an electric beater or standing mixer, beat egg whites until stiff. Gradually add the 1⁄2 cup sugar until completely incorporated and the texture no longer has any gritty feel. Add the vanilla and vinegar. Gently fold in the confectioner’s sugar and almond meal. With a large spoon or spatula, put dollops of the meringue on the parch- ment and smooth into 6 to 8 even-size disks of about 6 inches. Place in the oven and immediately lower the tem- perature to 275°. Bake for 40 minutes or until barely start- ing to brown. Turn off the oven and open the door, but leave meringues in there to cool down slowly.
For the topping: Whip the heavy cream in a bowl until stiff peaks form. Add a little sugar to taste.
To assemble: Place each meringue on an individual plate. Put a spoonful of lemon curd in the middle and spread to within an inch of the edge. Sprinkle a handful of fresh blueberries over the curd. Top with whipped cream and serve.
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