Soft Peaks

Who ever needs a warm, melting dessert these days, I ask you? Certainly not me, the ice-cream girl, as I am forever entering the blissed mood of all things fruity, juicy and sunny. Peaches have made their grand entry on the table as have raspberries, strawberries and other delectable little red pearls I dream of all year long.

So, how to combine the craving for a lovely dessert while enjoying the freshness of ruby and golden juices running down my chin? The idea here is to find a way to accomodate them while serving more than a simple platter - but who would actually complain about that? - of fruits covered in lemon juice and the lightest sugar sprinkle.

The pavlova has been on my to-do list for years and years and years - make it centuries then. It all of sudden occurred to me that this could be the dinner party solution I was looking for; I mean, it has some mean curves and appealing colors, that sexy, pale pavlova girl, don't you think? The name could be improved, I guess, since it does remind me of some Pavlovian reflex that could also have something to do with us all drooling on the linen tablecloth at the mere view of this rich dessert...

The recipe I tried is in the end a combination of this one here and the Nigella Choco-Raspberry pavlova.

It came out beautifully fragrant, all soft peaks and dotted with lusciously red specks of happiness. I am drooling, still, so join me and put your apron on, all the more as if you are going to the dentist to get your tooth extracted, this is all you would be able to wolf down right after (this is a hidden message to my mom - be brave: there is pavlova after the dentist!) AND all the more as you may just have lost one of your latest blog posts in cyberspace (hint-hint-hint):

☕ Ingredients:

-5 egg whites

-double their weight in sugar

-1 tablespoon of maizena

-350ml double cream

-A mixture of your favorite berries, for the color contrast and the taste

☕ How to:

-Preheat the oven at 180 °C.

-Beat the egg whites until they are quite stiff and adding the sugar a spoonful at the time.

-Add the maizena and beat some more.

-Spread the egg whites (meringue) on an oven sheet previously covered with baking paper. Make the meringue look like a crown, no need to make a whole at its center as the meringue will sink in anyway when cooling down.

-Place into the oven and keep an eye on it after 1 hour or so: once you see it starts forming a golden crust but its center still feels spingy to the touch, the beauty is cooked!

-Let it cool down completely - I did leave it overnight...

-When you are ready to assemble and seve, beat the double cream until if forms soft peaks and flots sexily over the beaters...

-Spoon it delicately over the meringue and drop the red berries on top (obviously wash them before doing so, but be careful about any dripping water and "stains" on this white lady - it does not look pretty!).

-Cool in the fridge for about one hour, so that all the tastes mingle...and serve, gloriously at the table.

Simplicity and efficiency at its (summer) best.

Credits: TheDaydreamerdiary