Spring Cream Pavlova Meringues

I attended a women's church social last week and decided to prepare a dessert that would reflect the theme of spring time:  Nest shaped meringues, delicate enough, yet a large enough portion size  to leave you satisfied.  I knew exactly what I would make........my Blue Ribbon winning Russian Cream Pavlova Meringues! 

According to pastry chef extraordinaire Shuna Fish Lydon, The late Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, for whom the Pavlova dessert was named, was said to have been ethereal, delicate and slightly controversial. "Her namesake, this simple confection, is a straightforward enough list of ingredients, but the end result is all about touch, finesse. It has attracted more than its fair share of controversy. Two distinct neighboring countries take credit for invention and creation. For the sake of staying neutral, we will say both New Zealand and Australia are to blame for the delicious Pavlova; an edible translation of sugar turned into cumulous clouds, it is one of the best low fat vehicles for seasonal fruit, whipped cream, sorbet, and ice cream."

The recipe is fairly simple.  The hardest part of the preparation, is the wait........the anticipation to bite into the delicate, yet soft cream filled center.  The center is filled with creme fraiche and lemon, that just completely, perfectly, works so well together, that at the moment you take the first bite, your mouth feels as if it has arrived in heaven!  The creamy center is topped with a trio of fresh organic berries.

The first photo shows the meringue batter, having been whipped for about 10 minutes, before being put on the baking sheet and parchment for a very low bake @ 200 degrees.  They remain in the oven to puff and lightly crack for @ an hour to an hour and a half.

I made the size of the meringue nests smaller to accomodate enough serving sizes for this social.  The baking duration in the oven duration will be shorter.  I prefer to add a touch of color to my meringues and for this women's event, I added a touch of pink.  If you can obtain a color via natural sources, that is always the preferred method.

Once baked, I  let the meringue nests cool for about 30 minutes.  During their cool time, I began the creme fraiche preparations in the mixer.  After whipping the cream mixture, I added the pink color and then prepared the meringues.



The finishing touch was the trio of berries placed on top, with a scant dusting of gold and pink sanding sugars. I have won First Place with this recipe in numerous venues and Fairs in California.  I knew I was on to something special with this recipe when this dessert was a big hit at my cousin's Bridal Shower.

For the final touch and connection to a Russian-feminine type of theme, I used a trio pastry stand with ornate black crystals, reminiscent of the beauty and grace of Russian dancer, Anna Pavlova.   If only we were all so lucky to have a pastry named in our honor!