Peaches and Cream Pavlova

METHOD:

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 300 F. Trace a 7-inch circle in the center of a piece of parchment and arrange it marked side down on a cookie sheet (nonstick liners don’t work with this recipe)

2. For the best meringue volume, start with super clean equipment. Put the superfine sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a small bowl and whisk until well blended and no lumps remain. Set aside

3. Put the egg whites and cream of tartar in a clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or in a large bowl using an electric handheld mixer fitted with wire beaters) and beat on medium speed until the whites are frothy, 30 to 45 seconds. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until the whites form soft peaks, 1 ½ to 2 minutes

4. Continue beating while gradually adding the sugar mixture by tablespoonsful. This will take about 3 minutes, stopping and scraping down the sides twice

5. When all the sugar mixture is added and the whites are firm and glossy, add the vinegar and vanilla. Beat on high speed until blended, about 30 seconds

6. Scrape about half of the meringue into a mound in the center of the traced circle and spread to the edges. Scrape the remaining meringue onto the center in a mound and, using the back of a large spoon, spread to an even but very free–form thickness around the sides with some swirls and peaks. Make a shallow indentation in the center of the meringue

7. Reduce the oven temperature to 200 F. Bake until the outside of the meringue feels firm and it moves only slightly when nudged with a fingertip (the center will still be soft), 2 to 2 ½ hours

8. Turn off the oven and let the meringue cool completely in the oven or up to 8 hours. Move the sheet to the counter. Carefully slide a long metal spatula between the parchment and the meringue to loosen. Using the parchment, move the meringue to a flat serving plate and gently nudge the meringue onto the plate; discard the parchment

Recipe presented by Breville