Salut mes p’tits croissants! As summer was winding down, I took advantage of the last strawberries of the season to make a delicious Pavlova.

This dessert comes to us from Australia and New Zeeland at the beginning of the 20^th century.
This is obviously my adaptation to the classic dessert.

I hope you’ll enjoy it. Now let’s get cooking, shall we!

Serves 8

INGREDIENTS
Meringue:
4 pcs Egg whites (room temp)
1 pinch Salt
1 cup (200gr) Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla paste
1 tbsp Apple cider vinegar
1 tsp Cornstarch

• With a handheld mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 5 minutes.
• Add the sugar in a stream.
• Once all of the sugar has been added, turn the mixer up to high speed and continue beating until glossy stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. The peaks should be stiff enough that you can hold the whisk upright and the peaks won’t move.
• Add the vanilla paste and beat for 1 more minute.
• Pre-heat your oven to 200F (95C).
• Add in the vinegar and cornstarch and beat for 30 seconds.
• Place in a piping bag with a large round tip.
• On a large pastry baking sheet, pipe 8 large dollops (4 inch diameters) of meringue and pipe mini ones around them (you’ll need about 40 little meringues).
• Using a tbsp dipped in hot water, create a dimple in your pavlova so they look like a volcano (CF: video). Repeat the action with them all.
• Place the tray in the oven and bake until the pavlova are crispy and hard (about 60 min).
• Once baked, place the pavlovas and the baby meringue on a cooling rack.

Dehydrated strawberries:
4-5 pcs Strawberries (diced)
1/4 cup (50g) Sugar
1/4 cup (62.5ml) Water

• In a small saucepan on medium high heat, place the sugar and water and let it come to a boil.
• Let it simmer for about 2-3 minutes.
• Transfer into a small stainless steel bowl and cool it down completely.
• Slice the strawberries thin and dip them into the cold syrup.
• Place them on a silpat or parchment paper line-up pastry baking sheet.
• Bake in the oven at 200F (95C) until they crystallized (about 40-60 min).
• Let them cool down, then take them off the silpat and place in a box or a bowl until ready to plate.

Strawberry/Mint compote:
2 pints Strawberries (diced)
1/4 cup (50g) Sugar
4 leaves Mint (chiffonade)
1 tbsp Aged Balsamic

• In a medium size saucepan on medium heat, place the strawberries with the sugar and and the mint and cook until the mix thickens (about 10 minutes).
• Take it off the heat and add the aged balsamic, let it cool down completely.
• Transfer into a new container and store in the fridge covered until ready to plate.

Chantilly:
1 cup (250ml) Heavy cream
1/4 cup (50g) Sugar
2 tsp Vanilla paste

• In a large stainless-steel bowl, add the heavy cream, sugar and vanilla and whip it with a whisk until desired consistency (Chantilly, whipped cream.
• Be careful to not over-whip or you’ll end up with butter. You can also use an electric mixer.
• Place in a piping bag with a medium round tip and keep in fridge until ready to assemble.

Garnish:
30 pcs Basil flowers

• Take a pavlova shell and add 2 tbsp of the strawberry compote.
• Garnish with some dollops of Chantilly. Followed by the baby meringues.
• Place the strawberry chips carefully and finish by garnishing it with the basil flowers.
• Repeat the process for them all.
• Now, one thing remain to be done… to enjoy it.
• Bon appétit! And check my socials for the video recipe and don’t forget to follow me 🙂