Fancy Pants Pavlova

This has all the components of a traditional Pavlova, Meringue, Chantilly cream and fruit, but presented a little differently. It is kind of like a deconstructed version of Pavlova. If you believe you eat with your eyes first like I do, this dessert is a total winner! Super pretty and definitely fancy pants ;)

I hosted a tea party once and served this. The theme was ‘La mer’ ( the sea ) so I made it in shades of blues and purples. When you host an event and are making quite a few things for it you never know which dish will shine the most, but for that party this was definitely one of the favorites. I remember spending countless hours planning, baking, cooking, and decorating for that party but I was so thrilled when it all came together. It was all worth it in the end. My memories of that day are all my lovely girlfriends all dressed up in one room, enjoying themselves and tons of love and laughter.

Total Time:

• Prep time 30 mins

• Baking time 1hr

• Cooling time 2hrs

• Total time 3.5 hrs

Equipment:

• Baking sheet (17 inches x 12 inches )

• Parchment Paper

• 3 disposable 18inch piping bags

• Wilton piping tips 1M, 2D, 2A

Ingredients:

Meringue

• 120 g egg whites ( about 4 eggs)

• 220 g sugar (about 1 cup sugar)

• ½ tsp cream of tartar

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 ½ tsp cornstarch

Chantilly Cream

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 1 Tbsp Confectioners sugar

• 1Tsp vanilla extract

• 2 cups fruit ( I used strawberries and raspberries )

• Few drops Gel food coloring of your choice ( I used red and pink )

• Edible flowers (optional but highly recommended ) pansies or rose petals

METHOD:

• Preheat oven to 250 F

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside

• Whisk egg whites and cream of tartar till frothy

• Gradually add the sugar and whip till sugar is dissolved and meringue is shiny with stiff peaks

• Add the vanilla extract and whip for a few seconds

• Sift the cornstarch in and gently fold in, so you don’t lose all the air incorporated earlier

• Take some of the meringue and put a little bit in the 4 corners of the baking sheet and stick parchment paper on it, so it does not flop around in the oven

• Divide the Meringue in two bowls and color them with 2 different gel colors.

• Put one shade of meringue in a piping bag fitted with a wilton 1M tip and pipe roses on the tray, leaving some space in between.

• Put the other half in a piping bag fitted with a wilton 2 D tip and pipe some little flowers

• Bake at 250 F for 10 minutes, lower the oven to 215 and bake for another 50 mins. Turn the oven off and let it cool inside for at least 2 hours. No peeking!

• Once cooled transfer your piped meringue from the baking sheet onto a clear tray or flat platter. It easily comes away from the parchment paper

• Add the Confectioners sugar and vanilla extract to the cream and whip till soft peaks form (do not over whip)

• Put the cream in a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 2A tip and pipe the cream like mini Hershey’s kisses.

• Add the fruit and flowers on the tray

Enjoy!