Pavlovas are meringue crusts that can be filled with whipped cream, fruit curd, fresh fruits, ice cream, edible flowers, and pretty much anything else your imagination whips up. You can make one or two big shells or smaller individual shells like we did for our garden party. Pavlovas make a light and very pretty dessert for spring and summer. This recipe only uses egg whites so I generally have a dish of salt ready so I can salt cure the leftover egg yolks.  

Ingredients

4 egg whites

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Directions

Preheat oven to 200.

Line 1 or 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silpats.

If you want to shape your Pavlova shells instead of going free form, you can draw your intended shape on parchment paper. You can pipe the meringue into the shape. and you can also use piping tips for an even fancier finish! Otherwise, spoon meringue into the shape and size you want and use a spoon to make an indentation in the center of each shell, basically forming a shallow pie shell.

Bake for 1.5-2 hours, checking for doneness every 10 minutes. When finished baking the shells will be slightly browned and slightly cracked. Turn off oven and leave the shells in the oven overnight.

Fill with something delicious and garnish to make the Pavlovas extra pretty. Enjoy!