Mini Lemon Pavlovas
When you are looking for a light, lemony dessert, try Mini Lemon Pavlovas. Winter is the perfect time for citrus (especially in Arizona where our trees bear gorgeous citrus this time of year) and after heavy desserts all holiday season, it’s a wonderful change to serve something lighter.
I love pavlovas and meringues. If you want to explore further, try Pavlova with Sugared Cranberries or Hazelnut & Coffee Meringues. Both are delicious examples of this airy yet crunchy confection.
The key with making meringues or pavlova is to make them on a dry day. Any humidity in the air with cause them to weep and get chewy as opposed to crisp on the outside and marshmallowy on the inside. Besides that, it is really simple to make these little babies!
Making the pavlova batter is really easy. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites with cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Add the sugar in one tablespoon at a time and mix on high until stiff and glossy peaks form. This should take between 8 and 10 minutes. Add the vanilla extract, lemon juice and lemon zest.
Put the meringue into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip and pipe small nests of meringue onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. You can also spoon it into mounds on the baking sheet, adding a little dip in the middle of each one.
Bake the meringues at a very low heat for 45 minutes or until the meringue is a very light cream color. Turn off the oven, open the door slightly and let the meringues cool in the oven for at least one hour.
For the whipped cream, whip the heavy cream on high until soft peaks form. Mix in the powdered sugar, vanilla and lemon zest.
To assemble the pavlovas, spoon whipped cream into the center of each one and top with assorted berries, mangos and kiwi. Enjoy!
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Mini Lemon Pavlovas
Makes: 12 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour plus cooling time 2 hours
Ingredients
Pavlovas:
- 6 large egg whites
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 & 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 tbsp lemon zest
- 3 tsp lemon juice
- 1 & 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 tbsp corn starch
Zesty Lemon Whipped Cream:
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 1/2 tablespoon powdered sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
Toppings:
- Berries, Mangos, Kiwi
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large bowl, beat egg whites with the cream of tartar on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Add in sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well in between each addition.
Repeat until all sugar is incorporated and mix on high until meringue forms stiff and glossy peaks, about 8-10 minutes.
Beat in vanilla extract, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Gently fold in cornstarch.
Transfer the meringue to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip, and pipe small nests of meringue onto the prepared baking sheet. Alternatively, simply spoon the meringue onto the baking sheet and create a small dip in the middle of each one.
Place the baking sheet in the oven and turn the temperature down to 250°F. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the meringue is a very light cream color. Turn off the oven, leave the door cracked open, and allow to cool completely inside the oven, for at least 1 hour. Store in an airtight container until ready to serve.
Zesty Lemon Whipped Cream:
In a medium bowl, whip the whipping cream on high until soft peaks form. Mix in the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon zest. Store the whipped cream in the fridge in an airtight container until ready to use.
Immediately before serving, assemble the pavlovas. Spoon whipped cream onto each one, and top with assorted berries, mangos and kiwi.
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