The O’Crowley family, proprietors of An Súgán, in Clonakilty, County Cork, love to serve Pavlova, a popular Irish dessert named for a Russian ballerina. Sometimes called “meringue nests,” the dessert consists of a crisp meringue base topped with whipped cream and fresh fruit, especially local strawberries or raspberries when they’re in season.
SERVES 6
MERINGUES
4 large egg whites
Pinch of salt
1¼ cups superfine sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
FILLING
2 cups heavy (whipping) cream
1 teaspoon superfine sugar
1 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 pint raspberries
1 To make the meringues: Preheat the oven to 250°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2 For uniform nests, draw six 4-inch circles on the paper. Turn the paper over, and secure with masking tape. In a medium bowl, combine the egg whites and salt. With an electric mixer, beat on low speed for 4 to 5 minutes, or until soft peaks form, them increase the speed to high and gradually beat in the sugar. Continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Beat in the cornstarch and vinegar.
3 Transfer the mixture to a pastry bag fitted with a ½-inch star tip, and pipe it to fill the rounds you drew on the parchment paper. Or spoon the mixture into mounds. Depress the center with a spoon to create a “nest.” Bake for 1½ to 2 hours, or until the meringues are crisp. Turn off the oven and let them cool completely inside. When cooled, slide a spatula or knife between them and the paper to separate. (The meringues can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week.)
4 To fill the meringues: In a medium bowl, combine the cream and sugar and beat with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Divide the strawberries and raspberries among the meringues and top with the whipped cream.
Prepare the meringues as described above. Fill with prepared lemon curd and top with fresh berries and whipped cream.
In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer on low for 4 to 5 minutes, or until soft peaks form. Add a pinch of cream of tartar, increase the speed to high, and gradually beat in ½ cup of sugar. Continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Sift 2 teaspoons of cocoa powder and ½ teaspoon of cinnamon over the egg whites and fold in gently. Bake as described in the recipe above. Fill the meringues with vanilla ice cream and top with chocolate or hot fudge sauce.
