Crispy outside & marshmallowy middle, these double strawberry pavlovas are a light & lovely dessert.
Double Strawberry Pavlovas
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup freeze dried strawberries
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 4 large egg whites room temperature
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
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Heat oven to 250°F; line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Process sugar on high in a food processor for 15 seconds.
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Measure sugar again. (You need 1 cup)
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Place freeze-dried strawberries in food processor, and purée for 10 seconds, until they are a combination of dust and very small pieces.
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In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of the processed sugar. Set aside.
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Place egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer, and beat on medium-high speed until foamy peaks form, about 1 to 2 minutes.
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Gradually add plain sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, to the egg whites, beating until incorporated, about 1-2 minutes.
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Add cornstarch/sugar mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until the egg whites are stiff and glossy, about 1-2 minutes.
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Add vinegar, vanilla, and 6 tablespoons of the ground freeze-dried strawberries; beat for 1 minute.
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Using a spatula, spoon meringue into 8 mounds onto prepared baking sheet.
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Using the spatula, form each mound into a 4-inch disk.
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Sprinkle remaining ground freeze-dried strawberries on pavlovas.
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Bake for 40 minutes.
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Turn off the oven, and prop the door open, placing a wooden spoon in the opening.
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Let pavlovas cool in the oven for an hour.
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Transfer the pavlovas from the baking tray to a cooling rack.
It’s another week of strawberry treats here at Think Tasty! Last week featured a new recipe for strawberry cookies. This week features two more strawberry recipes, one using freeze-dried berries and one using fresh.
While the theme of strawberries stays the same, the location from which I am writing has changed. This recipe is from three years ago and a thousand miles away. I am currently based in Tampa to be near our horses. So, yes, I am already in the season of most mornings being 70 or warmer. Let’s use that as a segue to this recipe from the past.
From the archives
Greetings from Hot Springs, Arkansas! As a longtime New Hampshirite, I must tell you that not only is this city named for the springs, I think it’s named for its summer weather. It is HOT here, but I’m not complaining. As a woman with perpetually cold toes, I find the heat and humidity rather nice.
How hot and humid is it here? In the past month I don’t think I’ve woken up to a day that is cooler than 70°. I am up before the sun, so it’s not that a little sunlight has warmed the outside. It just doesn’t get cool. The humidity is always present, but I guess it’s just another reminder that it is summer.
What’s interesting is that in New Hampshire anytime we had a multi-day streak of 90+ degree days, it was considered to be a heatwave. Here it just is the status quo.
What I also find interesting is that even though it’s so much warmer here, the grocery store doesn’t feel that much cooler. In New Hampshire I dreaded grocery shopping in the summer because it would be fairly warm outside and then ridiculously cold in the store. It made me wonder if I needed to bring a jacket when going to the store.
Here the stores definitely use air conditioning, but it doesn’t seem as intense. I actually can shop in my sleeveless sundress or shorts and tank top without shivering or needing a sweatshirt.
On to the recipe
So, you may wonder what all of this heat and humidity talk has to do with a recipe. When it’s hot and humid, people are often reluctant to bake. Who wants a heavy dessert that heats up the house while being made. These pavlovas aren’t that dessert at all. They are lovely, light treats that are baked at 250°F. That’s not going to make your kitchen feel uncomfortably warm.
Between the low oven temperature and the lightness of this dessert, these pavlovas truly make a fine summer treat. Don’t ban all baked goods because it’s hot outside. Give these double strawberry pavlovas a try. They’re sure to make a wonderful summer dessert.
