Mango Pavlova

I mentioned to a friend that I've never tried Pavlova and lucky for me, she was delighted to make me one! It was fresh, light, and divine! I will definitely be making more Pavlova in the future. Thanks to Erika for sharing this great guest feature with us. She's in the process of creating her own blog so I'll be sure to share that link with you guys.

Feel free to switch out the mango for your favorite fruit or something fresh and seasonal, have fun with it and be prepared to devour it all. :)  Thanks for stopping by! 

Pavlova:

Meringue nest:

4 egg whites, at room temperature

1 cup caster sugar*

*(You can add your granulated sugar to a processor/magic bullet and grind until it's fine, not powder)

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon white wine vinegar or cream of tartar

1/2 tsp ground ginger or fresh ginger grated into a paste consistency (optional)

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or seeds of 2 vanilla beans(optional)

Preheat oven to 275 F.

Beat the egg whites until firm, then slowly add the sugar and beat until it makes firm, shiny peaks. Sift the cornstarch onto the beaten egg whites, add the vinegar, vanilla, and ginger, fold in lightly with a rubber spatula.

Place a sheet of parchment paper on a sheet pan. Draw a circle using a plate and flip the paper to avoid dirtying your meringue with ink/lead. Pile the meringue into the middle of the circle on the parchment paper and smooth it within the circle, making a disk for a sheet-cake resemblance. Or create a nest/bowl by creating a well in the middle and mound the meringue along the edges using a spoon or by piping layers until you have a nice deep bowl. 

Bake for 75-90min. Turn off the oven, keep the door closed, and allow the meringue to cool completely in the oven, another 75-90min. It will be crisp on the outside and soft on the inside.

Sweetened Whipped Cream and topping:

1 cup cold heavy cream

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or seeds of 2 vanilla beans

2-3 chopped ripe mango

1/2 cup finely chopped pistachios

Whip the cream in mixer fitted with a whisk attachment when it starts to thicken, add the sugar and vanilla. Continue to beat until firm, but careful not to over beat! Refrigerate until assembly just prior to serving.

Chop Mango. Refrigerate until assembly, just prior to serving.

Chop Pistachio and set aside until assembly.

Peach Apricot Sauce:

1/2 cup rough chopped apricots

1/4 cup rough chopped dried apricots

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp ground ginger  or fresh ginger grated into a paste consistency

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or seeds of 2 vanilla beans 

1 cup peach jam

1 tablespoon triple sec orange liqueur

Place the apricots, sugar, and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Pour the cooked apricots, the jam, and liqueur into a food processor and process until smooth. Chill. Refrigerate until assembly, just prior to serving.

Assembly:

Place whipped cream in the basin of meringue and top with fruit, drizzle sauce, and sprinkle with pistachio. Refrain from assembly if not serving immediately to avoid soggy meringue.