A Star-Spangled Dessert Step by Step
I'm a
patriot at heart. I still get chills when I hear the national anthem
or watch the Veterans Day parade. My Fourth of July celebration is
filled with tradition. Beginning with the annual pancake breakfast
at church, followed by a slow and humbling drive through the avenue
of flags on the V. A. grounds, a family barbecue in the afternoon
and, finally, watching the spectacular fireworks show from a blanket
on the Riddle High School football field, we make the most of this
holiday.
I
spend the rest of the summer celebrating my semi-independence from
imported food by stocking up on local fruits and vegetables for year
round enjoyment. Raspberries, Marionberries, boysenberries,
blackberries, blueberries, and cherries are at their peak now.
They're nutritious, delicious, and plentiful. Aside from eating them
fresh at every meal while they're in season, all of these fruits are
easy to pick and freeze for use throughout the year. Frozen berries
and pitted cherries get blended into smoothies, tossed into cereal,
stirred into pancake batter, baked into muffins, pies, cobblers and
crisps or turned into jam when the weather cools off.
Local
vegetables are coming on strong, too. Potatoes in all shapes and
colors, slender green beans, baby zucchini and yellow squash, snap
peas, snow peas, garlic, and onions are all available at area farm
stands, farmers markets, and Umpqua Local Goods. It takes only a few
minutes of steaming or stir-frying to make a colorful, tasty side
dish.
A
pavlova is a meringue-based dessert created for Anna Pavlova, a
Russian ballerina. Australia and New Zealand both take credit for
its invention and it traditionally includes fresh strawberries, kiwi,
and passionfruit. It's often made as one large dessert, but I find
small, individual pavlovas to be prettier on the plate and easier to
serve. I've used raspberries, blueberries, and Bing cherries here
for a red, white, and blue version.
This
dessert is not difficult to make and several steps can be done ahead.
The following tips should guide you to success:
--Eggs
whip best when they are at room temperature but it's easiest to
separate them while they are cold. If any bit of yolk gets into the
whites, use a piece of the shell to remove it. (Egg yolks can be
refrigerated for up to four days and used in other recipes.)
--Egg
whites need to be whipped in a bowl that is completely free of any
oils or greasy residue. If using a plastic bowl, wash thoroughly,
rinse and wipe down with a paper towel saturated with plain white
vinegar before adding egg whites.
--Cream
whips best when it is very cold. I often place the bowl and beaters
in the freezer ahead of time to chill them. I always use Umpqua
Dairy heavy whipping cream because it's local and it's not
ultra-pasteurized, a process that extends the shelf life but
compromises flavor. The cream can be whipped several hours in
advance and chilled until you're ready to assemble the pavlovas.
--The
meringue discs can be baked, cooled, and stored in an airtight
container at room temperature for 24 hours. Separate layers with
waxed paper or parchment.
--The
raspberry coulis can be made ahead and refrigerated overnight.
--Fresh
berries can be rinsed, drained well and refrigerated several hours
ahead of serving.
Good
luck and Happy Independence Day!
Individual
Berry Pavlovas
Adapted
with permission from
Makes
six servings
Preheat
the oven to 180 degrees and place two racks as close to the center as
possible. Cut two sheets of parchment to fit two cookie sheets or
half-sheet pans. Using a teacup or ramekin as a guide, with a pencil
draw six circles on each sheet. They should be about three inches in
diameter. Place the parchment on the pans, pencil side down, and set
aside.
For
the meringue:
4 egg
whites (½ cup) at room temperature
1 cup
granulated sugar
1/8
teaspoon cream of tartar
With
an electric mixer, whip the egg whites on low speed until foamy. Add
the cream of tartar and increase the speed to medium-high. When the
mixture becomes foamy, gradually add the sugar, a tablespoon at a
time until it is all incorporated. Continue mixing until glossy,
very stiff peaks form. This will take several minutes more.
Carefully
divide the mixture among the 12 circles you drew on the parchment.
Using a rubber scraper or the back of a spoon, very gently spread the
meringue to the edges of the circles. Bake at 180 degrees for 1 ½
to 2 hours, longer if it's a particularly moist or humid day. When
done, the meringue discs will pull away from the parchment easily
without leaving much behind. Turn the oven off and leave the pans in
the oven to continue drying until you are ready to assemble the
pavlovas. (See the tips above for storing overnight.)
For
the whipped cream:
1 cup
heavy whipping cream (not ultra-pasteurized), very cold
2
tablespoons powdered sugar
1
teaspoon vanilla
With
an electric mixer, whip the cream until it just begins to thicken.
Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and continue whipping just until
soft peaks form.
For
the raspberry coulis:
2 cups
raspberries
granulated
sugar
lemon
juice
Place
the berries in a blender or food processor and puree. Add sugar to
taste and a teaspoon of lemon juice. Process until smooth. Pour the
mixture into a strainer set over a bowl and use the back of a spoon
to press the puree through, straining out the seeds.
1 ½
cups fresh raspberries
1 ½
cups fresh blueberries
6
fresh cherries
Rinse
the berries and drain well.
To
assemble the pavlovas:
For
each serving, place two to three tablespoons of the raspberry coulis
on each plate. Place one meringue disc on top of the coulis. Add a
layer of whipped cream and then about ¼ cup of berries. Repeat
those three layers (meringue, cream, berries). Add another dollop of
whipped cream and top with each serving with a cherry. Serve
immediately.
