Easter was a little different for us this year, as it was the first time I can remember that we didn’t go “home” to Daddy & Mama’s for the day. Instead we celebrated our first Easter in South Carolina with the five us which was quite lovely indeed.
From dyeing eggs to the traditional Easter photo of the kids the day was next to perfect!
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| my other child….. |
I set the table for our version of a traditional Easter lunch consisting of Lamb Chops, warm potato salad, dijon deviled eggs, marinated asparagus, salad and rolls.
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| Napkins folded to look like a bunny’s head along with glittered eggs added a touch of whimsey to the table. |
And then I made dessert; A lovely, light and extremely flavorful Pavlova. Topped with fresh berries and freshly whipped cream, it was a dessert my family is still raving over and asking me to make another one!
It doesn’t look like much, but the the flavor of meringue with the berries, and whipped cream is a perfect combination to satisfy anyone at your table. While the process to put it together is lengthy (it takes over an hour to cook the meringue), it’s so easy to make!
Easy Pavlova
4 large egg whites at room temperature
1 cup of sugar
1 tsp of white vinegar
1/2 Tbsp of cornstarch
1/2 tsp of pure vanilla extract
For the Garnish:: 1/2 pint whipping cream, sweetened & whipped
assorted berries (I used strawberries, raspberries & blackberries)
Preheat the oven to 275 degrees and place the rack in middle of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In a clean, medium-sized metal bowl, beat the egg whites with a clean electric mixer on medium speed. Beat until the whites for soft peaks. Any grease on your beaters or bowl will break down the egg whites and they will not whip up, so make sure everything is very clean!
Gently sprinkle the sugar into the egg whites, one teaspoon at a time (don’t just lump the sugar in the bowl) & never stop beating the eggs until you finish the sugar. Your egg whites should now be glossy stiff peaks.
Sprinkle the cornstarch and vinegar on the meringue and fold in gently with a plastic spatula. Add the vanilla and gently fold the mixture again.
Now gently spread the meringue on your parchment paper in about a 6-7 inch circle. Make sure your edges are higher than the middle, so that it kind of looks like a nest.
Bake the meringue for about 1 hour and 15 minutes or until it goes a very pale, pinkish egg shell color.
Turn the oven off and leave the door slightly ajar to let the meringue cool completely. As the meringue cools, it will crack slightly.
Just before serving, take the meringue out of the oven and remove it gently from the parchment paper and place on a plate.
Whip the cream with the vanilla extract until it forms peaks. Prepare the fruit by washing and slicing.
Gently spread the cream to the top of the meringue with a spatula and arrange the fruit on top.
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| There is no wrong way to garnish this easy dish! |
This recipe is extremely versatile and can be easily adjusted. For example, you can make individual meringue nests, then speed a little lemon or lime curd before adding the whipped cream and berries.
***If you make individual meringue nests, you’ll reduce your cooking time to between 40-50 minutes.
{Easy dessert on a warm spring or summer day.}
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Seasons at Rosebriar 
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