We've been studying the continents in our history lessons. Grant has a passport and we "travel" to the various continents and learn about them. The first continent we visited was Australia. I thought it would be fun to find a food that they eat in each place and try it together. This recipe is for pavlova--a meringue shell topped with whipped cream and fruit. It turned out really yummy. It was crispy on the outside and creamy in the middle.
4 egg whites
1 1/4 cups white sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp cornstarch
Whipped cream (preferably homemade)
Fresh fruit
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Draw a 9-inch circle on the parchment paper.
In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry. Gradually add in the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat until thick and glossy. (Overbeaten egg whites lose volume and deflate when folded into other ingredients.) Be absolutely sure that no particle of grease or egg yolk gets into the whites. Gently fold in vanilla extract, lemon juice, and cornstarch.
Spoon mixture inside the circle drawn on the parchment paper. Working from the center, spread mixture toward the outside edge, building edge slightly. This should leave a slight depression in the center.
Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a wire rack.
For the whipped cream, beat 1 pint heavy cream until it becomes the consistency of yogurt. Gradually add in powdered sugar until you reach the desired sweetness. Add a splash of vanilla extract.
To serve, fill the center of the meringue with whipped cream and top with fruit.
Recipe and photo source: www.allrecipes.com
