Dreamy LEMON PAVLOVA!
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For the meringue:
4 large egg whites
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup sugar
For the lemon curd:
4 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon grated lemon rind, from about 2 lemons
3 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, from about 2 lemons
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2 cups heavy cream, chilled
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fresh berries as garnish (optional)
Make the meringue:
Place the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 250 degrees F. Butter a 9” pie dish, or line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. If using parchment, draw a 9 inch circle onto the paper, flip the paper over to the clean side and then sprinkle the parchment with water, making sure to cover outside the circle. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer, on medium speed, beat the whites until foamy, about a minute. Add the cream of tartar and beat to combine. With the mixer running, slowly add the sugar. Turn up to medium high and beat until thick and shiny about 5-6 minutes. They will be beaten enough when you see the beater leaving defined tracks in the egg whites. And when you lift the beater(s) out of the mixture, the peaks will slightly flop over onto themselves.
Spread into the prepared pan inside the 9” circle on the parchment, making a slight indentation in the center of the meringue with a spoon. Bake for 60-75 minutes until dry to the touch. If using parchment, better to slightly overcook it, so it doesn't stick. Cool completely.
In the meantime:
Make the lemon curd:
In a small heavy saucepan, add all of the curd ingredients and whisk together until smooth. Switch to a spoon and stir the mixture constantly over low heat, making sure to get into the edges of the pot, until it just begins to thicken, about 5 minutes. If you lift the spoon out of the curd, you should be able to draw a clean line across the back of the spoon without it spreading. A thermometer (a really good tool to have in your kitchen) should read around 175-185 degrees F. If you like, at this point, you can strain the mixture. But, I never do. Chill in the fridge until completely cooled.
Assemble the Pavlova:
If baked on parchment, transfer the meringue to a platter. (There's a slight chance it might stick if it's underbaked. Don't worry. If that happens, just carefully cut the paper away near the meringue.) Add the cream to the bowl of a stand mixer, or if using a hand mixer, into a medium size bowl. Beat the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Don’t over beat. Stir about 1 cup of the whipped cream into the cooled curd to lighten it up. Then fold in about ¾ of the rest of the cream. Taste for tartness. Fold in the rest, if desired, or serve on the side.
Scoop big spoonfuls onto the center of the meringue, decoratively swirling the top. Chill the pavlova in the fridge until ready to serve. If you like, scatter some berries on top.
Makes 8 servings. YUM!
LESSONS Learned:
1. When you whip the egg whites, make sure that the bowl and beaters that you use have no traces of oil on them. And that not even a speck of egg yolk has gotten into the whites when you separate them. The fat will stop the whites from increasing in volume.
2. It’s easier to grate the lemon rind first before juicing the lemon.
3. Make sure the lemon curd is completely cool before you fold in the whipped cream.
4. I usually make mine in a pie dish because it’s easier to transport,and there's no issues getting it off of the pan. But it is very pretty baked on the parchment. So, If you decide to put the meringue right onto the parchment, make sure to sprinkle the parchment all over with water first, and most importantly, bake it long enough. That way the meringue will not stick.
5. If the meringue cracks in places, don’t worry, that’s all part of the pavlova’s beauty.