Strawberry Pavlova

 A Pavlova is just a big “bowl” made of meringue and filled with a fruit and whipped cream mixture. You can use any kind of fruit you want. Just be sure it's something you want whipped cream with.

Pavlovas are traditionally served in a big bowl and cut into wedges to serve. You can make individual ones instead, by just making smaller bowls.

Meringue

4 egg whites (save the yolks for Hollandaise sauce or custard)

1-1/4 c sugar

1 t white vinegar

1 t cornstarch

1 t vanilla extract

Heat oven to 300. Using a pencil, trace around the outside of a dinner plate on parchment paper or foil, being careful not to tear the paper or foil. Beat the eggs until they form soft peaks, then beat in the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the meringue looks glossy. Beat in the vinegar, cornstarch and vanilla. Spread the meringue inside the circle, creating a crater by making the sides a little higher than the middle. Bake for 1 hour, then turn off the heat and let the Pavlova cool completely inside the oven. Leave the Pavlova in the cold oven as long as you can. The dry air in there will make it keep better than being out in the more humid kitchen. (Don’t forget it’s in there, though, and turn on the oven! I find that fastening a note to the on/off switch for the oven is a good idea.)

Filling

1 lb strawberries

1-1/2 c whipping cream

1/4 c sugar

Wash the strawberries and pull out any stems and leaves. Let them dry completely. Slice them if they’re large, or leave them whole if they are small. Whip the cream and the sugar until thickened. (Start with the mixer on low and gradually increase or you’ll end up with cream all over the kitchen.) Fill the crater in the cooled Pavlova with the whipped cream and put the strawberries on top. Cut into wedges to serve.