Pavlovas are hard meringues filled with a creamy sweet filling. Using deli fruit salad makes this dessert recipe very simple. You can usually find superfine sugar in the baking aisle of your grocery store. If you can't, simply process regular sugar in a food processor until it's ground very fine. This sugar is used so it dissolves quickly in the meringue. Or, for Passover, make your own Passover Powdered Sugar.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 egg whites, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- pinch salt
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups deli fruit salad, well drained, OR 2 cups mixed fresh fruit
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 5 tablespoons superfine sugar, powdered sugar, or Passover powdered sugar
Preparation:
Place the egg whites in a small mixing bowl and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, draw a 10 inch circle on a piece of wax paper and place (writing-side down) on a baking sheet.
Add vanilla and salt to egg whites. Beat with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high speed until very stiff peaks form and sugar is almost dissolved (about 5 minutes). Fold in cornstarch and vinegar (this helps keep the meringue softer).
Using the back of a spoon, spread meringue onto the circle, building the sides up to form a shell. Bake in a 300 degree oven for 35 minutes. Turn off the oven, open the door, and let shell cool for one hour. Remove the shell from baking sheet and pull off wax paper. Cool completely.
Whip cream with 5 Tbsp. sugar and fold into fruit salad. Pile this mixture into the meringue shell and serve. Serves 6-8 Serves 8
