I have been wanting to try pavlovas/meringues for a long time but never dared. Then I saw these mini pavlovas and thought "that I can do". I didn't have any gooseberries so I made my own recipe with red fruits:
pavlovas red fruits and nuts
INGREDIENTS (for 6 pieces):
mini-pavlovas:
4 cold egg whites (sizes m/l)
salt
200g sugar (I used light thin brown sugar, hence their slightly golden colour)
1 vanilla pod
toppings:
250g mixed red fruits
200g raspberries
40g brown sugar
15g corn starch or equivalent
330 ml whipping cream
Whole almonds and pistachios broken into small pieces
STEPS
Mini-pavlovas:
Preheat the oven to 100 degrees fan-forced (or 120degrees top/bottom heat). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Beat egg whites half stiff (I used an electric beater), then gradually whisk in the sugar tablespoon by tablespoon (plus the salt and vanilla seeds in the end). Beat at least for 2-3min longer until the consistence is thick and glossy, and the sugar is dissolved.
Spread 6 meringue on the parchment paper (each about 10cm-ø). Place first a heaping tablespoon of meringue where the pavlovas should bake on your parchment paper (keep distance between) and spread to a circular shape. Spoon the remaining meringue evenly to each meringue-circle and spread again a second layer, form a indentation in the center.
Then, bake the pavlovas for 90min on the second on the lower rack (second from bottom), then switch off the oven and leave the oven door opened a bit, so the meringues can cool down slowly.
When they are completely chilled, loosen the meringues carefully with a spatula from the baking parchment. Meanwhile, whip your cream and place it in the fridge until you start to serve.
Topings:
Arrange the the meringues on plates, fill with some whipped cream, spread first some red fruits and some nuts.
Then you can either stop there or prepare a quick raspberry sauce: wash raspberries and caramelise the cane sugar in a pan or pot. Then, add the raspberries and cook them for 2-3min until soft. After that, pour off the liquid into a small pot and heat again. dissolve the cornstarch in some water and stir to the fruit sauce.
After that, cook the sauce until it turns to a nice thick sauce. you can either keep the seeds or use a strain to remove them. Pour over everything.
And now you can just enjoy them!
And now as per usual, if you fancy some outtakes, here they come:
Let me know what you think.