Whether I eat this Pavlova or take it to my therapist’s office to use as a pillow, is up for debate. Lately, I feel so drained come 5pm that all I can manage to do when I get home is watch repeat episodes of a Brazilian woman unwrap My Little Pony toys online. It ranks right up there with staring at the wall and downing a pint of Ben & Jerry’s on my list of recommended therapeutic post-work activities.
I may not be making 5 million dollars a year off of inane videos, but at least I know I can apply stickers correctly!!!
Unlike more productive alternatives, like, say, making a giant meringue pillow to smoosh my face into, watching this freak weirdo woman always leaves me either in a paralytic state of confusion…a Pony hangover, if you will. As if the uncontrollable vocal fry of my millennial office mates wasn’t enough, I’d say that the fact that this woman makes millions of dollars a year off of these videos is a fairly good indication that the world may be ending.
As someone who previously lived in Brazil in a past life, I can tell you that there may be an nation of aliens below the equator coming to end it for all of us. It’s time to eat as much dessert as possible and run for the hills.
To avoid hitting your head against a wall after a long days work, you might consider the sweet crinkling of plastic wrappers on YouTube, or you can make this blueberry pavlova with pomegranate molasses drizzle and kumquats. Your choice.
First gather your ingredients and preheat your oven to 300F! To make the meringue base, you’ll need 1.5 cups of granulated sugar; 6 large egg whites; 1 tsp of white wine vinegar; and 1 tsp of corn starch (I used potato starch because I was restricted by the evil laws of Passover). For the whipped topping, I recommend 1 pint of heavy whipping cream; about 2 tbsps of granulated sugar; 2 cartons of blueberries; 2 tbsp of powdered sugar; 2 tbsp of pomegranate molasses, and a handful of kumquats! If you don’t like this fruit combo, you can pick pretty much anything spreadable and top it with anything sweet you like—chocolate mousse with raspberries, lemon curd and blackberries, orange mousse and ginger bread cookie crumble etc.
Poof! Begone wicked relative of the west (who prevented me from photo-capturing my mis en place)!
Whisk the egg whites on high until you have medium peaks (you should be able to turn the bowl upside down without the egg whites falling out). Add the 1.5 cups of granulated sugar and continue whisking so that the sugar dissolves into the mixture. The egg whites should turn into a very shiny meringue. Keep whisking and add the starch and the vinegar.
Empty the contents of the bowl onto the middle of a silpat or piece of parchment paper and spread the meringue out into a giant circle 9 or 10 inches in diameter (likely almost the width of the silpat you own).
Place the meringue into the oven and turn the temperature down a bit to 275F. Bake the meringue for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Turn off the oven when you’re done and leave the meringue inside to cool in the oven for at least two hours (ideally let it cool completely…but I usually can’t wait).
Flip the meringue over onto a large plate or cake stand. Whip the heavy cream and sugar together to make the whipped cream (whip the cream on high until nice and thick). Spread on top of the pavlova and sprinkle the blueberries on top to fully cover the topping. Place the kumquats as you like (just for color). Drizzle the molasses over the pavlova and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
ooooooh. aaaaaaah.
This dessert is light and sweet, but carries a slightly tangy taste to it from the pomegranate molasses. I recommend eating it right away. The meringue stays for a day or two, but is fluffiest on day 1!
-GG
- 6 egg whites
- 1.5 cups of granulated sugar
- 1 tsp starch (corn or potato)
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar
- 1 pint heavy whipping cream
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar
- 2 cartons of blueberries
- Preheat the oven to 300F. whisk the egg whites in a standmixer with the whisk attachment until medium peaks. add in the sugar (1.5 cups) until the meringue becomes glossy. Add in the starch and the vinegar. Remove from bowl and place onto a piece of parchment paper or onto a silpat. Place into the oven and reduce the heat to 275F. Bake for 1.5 hours and allow to cool fully in the oven.
- Whip the cream and remaining sugar in a very cold bowl until you have whipped cream. You can add 1 tsp of vanilla to the whipped cream if you are a big vanilla fan. Flip the meringue over onto a plate of cake stand and spread the whipped cream on top of the meringue. Place the fruit on top of the whipped cream and drizzle the molasses on top. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
TheGrumpyGourmand is a rug-rat of a cook always up for a challenge. A former cookie stealer. A bakers apprentice. A hacker in the kitchen. Starting with a few basic skills, he's undergoing a challenge to cook his way from novice to expert starting in 2015. 
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