What’s a girl to do when she’s got leftover berries? Pavlovas with mascarpone whip cream and balsamic-roasted strawberries. I don’t do simple.
Earlier this month, I went on my annual berry picking trip. I love the perfectly ripe, super-sweet berries but they don’t hold up as long as ones bought from a store. Some were a shriveled and bruised so I roasted them in a bit of honey and balsamic vinegar. I got the idea from David Lebovitz, who recently posted a recipe for Roasted Strawberry-Miso Ice Cream. Doesn’t that sound delish?
I’m really happy with the meringues. The first time I made one large disc and it cracked quite a bit. Pavlova is a rustic dessert so it worked out, but this second attempt was much more successful.
For the filling, traditionally it is just freshly whipped cream but I decided to use mascarpone cream for a bit more flavor.
My assembled minis! I must say, I am on a pavlova kick right now. I love the crisp exterior and fluffy, creamy interior. Of course, the berry topping is the star. Adding the balsamic helps to balance the sweetness of the meringue.
MERINGUE TIPS
- Make sure there is no fat in the egg whites (bits of yolk) or the mixing bowl you’re using for whipping. The fat will prevent the egg whites from whipping to their fullest. They’ll still whip but they won’t be as stable. When you are spreading the meringue onto your baking sheet, work quickly and manipulate as little as possible to avoid deflation.
- To prevent cracking, when you are done baking, leave the door closed while the meringue dries out. I have read that you should leave the door slightly ajar, but my large meringue cracked. This time I left the door closed and I only had one cracked mini meringue of eight.
Mini Pavlovas with Mascarpone Cream and Roasted Strawberries
Makes 8 (3″ pavlovas)
Roasted Strawberries adapted from David Lebovitz
1/2 pound strawberries
2 tablespoons golden syrup, maple syrup, or light-flavored honey
1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
a few turns of black pepper
Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC).
Hull the strawberries and cut them in quarters. In a wide shallow baking dish with high sides (one that will fit all the berries in a single layer, with space between them), toss the berries with the golden syrup, balsamic vinegar, and black pepper.
Spread the berries across the bottom of the baking dish and roast on an upper rack of the oven, stirring once or twice during roasting, until they are well-cooked and the juices have thickened substantially, about 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and scrape into a bowl.
Once cool, take a pair of scissors and snip the cooked berries into smaller pieces, directly in the bowl. (The berries can be prepared up to three days ahead, and refrigerated.)
Mascarpone Cream adapted from Giada de Laurentiis
1/2 cup heavy cream, cold
3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
Note: I wanted this to be mostly whipped cream but with a bit of tang from the mascarpone. If you’d like a stronger mascarpone flavor, feel free to adjust the proportions.
In a medium bowl, beat the cream with an electric mixer until thick. Add the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla and continue to beat until the cream holds soft peaks. Add the mascarpone cheese and beat until thick and smooth.
Meringue adapted from Williams-Sonoma
1⁄4 cup egg whites, at room temperature
Pinch of salt
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
Preheat an oven to 250°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.To make the meringues, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the egg whites, salt and lemon juice. Beat on high speed until the large, foamy bubbles become small, about 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the sugar while continuing to beat. Increase the speed to high and beat until the whites are firm and glossy, about 8 minutes.
Using a large spoon, spoon the meringue in 8 well-spaced mounds on the prepared baking sheet. Using the back of a spoon, form a depression in the center of each mound. Bake the meringues for 1 hour, turn off the oven and let them remain in the oven for at least 1 hour. Remove the meringues from the oven and let cool to room temperature before serving. They may be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Pavlova Assembly:
Arrange the meringues on individual plates. Fill each well with mascarpone cream. Top with a generous spoonful of roasted strawberries. Serve the pavlovas immediately. Makes 8.
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