Strawberry Pavlova

The particular joy of this dreamy dessert, which was named in honor of the Russian ballerina, is that the meringue base can be made in advance. Then to serve it, drizzle the strawberries with a little balsamic vinegar and vanilla (a combination that brings out the fullest essential flavor of the fruit), whip some cream and arrange it all on a plate. It’s magnificent, and deliriously easy.

Ingredients

For the meringue:

• 4 egg whites
• Pinch of salt
• 1 ¼ cups superfine sugar
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon white-wine vinegar
• A few drops vanilla extract

For the topping:

• 1 pound strawberries, hulled and halved or quartered
• ½ teaspoon high-quality vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon high-quality balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon superfine sugar
• 2 cups heavy cream

• Nutritional Information

  • Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

    463 calories; 29 grams fat; 18 grams saturated fat; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 49 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 46 grams sugars; 2 grams protein; 108 milligrams cholesterol; 89 milligrams sodium

  Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
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6 servings

Preparation

1. To prepare meringue: heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and draw a circle on the paper using an 8- or 9- inch cake pan as a guide. In bowl of an electric mixer, combine egg whites and salt. Begin beating at low speed, slowly increasing to high. Continue until satiny peaks begin to form; gradually beat in sugar a tablespoon at a time until meringue is stiff and shiny.
2. Sprinkle in cornstarch, white-wine vinegar and vanilla, and fold in gently. Mound onto parchment within circle, and shape into a disk, flattening top and smoothing sides. Place in oven, and immediately reduce heat to 300 degrees. Bake 1 hour 15 minutes. Turn off heat, and allow meringue to cool completely in oven.
3. To prepare topping: in a mixing bowl, combine strawberries, vanilla, balsamic vinegar and sugar. Cover with plastic wrap. Let sit at room temperature at least 15 minutes and up to 2 hours.
4. To serve, invert meringue onto a plate, and carefully peel off parchment. (Crisp top of meringue will now be against plate with tender underside facing up.) Whip cream until it is thick enough to hold peaks, and spread it evenly over meringue. Cover cream with strawberries, allowing a small amount of their liquid to dribble onto cream. Serve immediately.

2 hours