Looking for a perfect Easter dessert? Take a look at these Lemon Cream Pavlovas! Don’t let the the name pavlova scare you off — it’s just a fancy name for meringue topped with stuff. By stuff I mean cream and fruit. The dessert is believed to have been created in honor of Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova in the 1920’s during one of her tours in either Australia or New Zealand. While the debate of its origin may remain unsolved, one thing is for certain: It is a delicious creation.
Remember that Olive Oil Lemon Curd I posted last week? Believe it or not, I still had some left over. Every time I opened up the refrigerator door and saw it sitting there, I couldn’t resist sticking my finger in the jar grabbing a spoon for a little taste of lemony deliciousness so it’s an Easter miracle that I had enough left over to make this dandy little creation.
The meringue has a perfectly crisp exterior while the inside is gooey and marshmallow-like. It’s topped with a lemon cream made by combining whipping cream and a little bit of the lemon curd and crowned with a little dollop of the curd. They actually look like sunny side up eggs!
This showy springtime dessert is the perfect ending to any celebration. Give it a try and let me know what you think!
- 5 large egg whites, room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup superfine granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons Colavita Aged White Wine Vinegar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup Olive Oil Lemon Curd (recipe in link)
- fresh mint leaves and lemon zest for garnish, if desired
- Heat oven to 300 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a 4-inch ramekin as a guide, draw 9 circles on the parchment.
- Make the meringue: In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites and salt on medium speed until light and frothy, about 3 minutes. Add the sugar by tablespoonfuls and continue to beat until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Add the vinegar, cornstarch, and vanilla and beat until stiff and glossy peaks form, about 2 minutes longer.
- Evenly divide the meringue among the circles drawn on the parchment and spread with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to make a circle with a slight indentation in the center.
- Bake 30 minutes and then turn the oven off. Allow the meringues to remain in the oven until completely cooled. They will be dry to the touch with a crisp exterior.
- Meanwhile, make the lemon cream. Beat the whipping cream on high until soft peaks form. Fold in 5 tablespoons of the lemon curd and mix until blended.
- To assemble, spoon 3 tablespoons of the lemon cream into center of each meringue and top with a teaspoonful of remaining lemon curd. Garnish with fresh mint leaves and lemon zest, if desired.
The post Lemon Cream Pavlovas is sponsored by Colavita. I have been using Colavita’s quality products for many years and this trusted family brand is a perfect fit for my garden to table creations. For more information, please visit Colavita.com.
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