Lunch: Patriotic Pavlova with Watermelon Stars

Add a festive sweet finale to your July 4th spread with a patriotic pavlova piled high with fresh berries and watermelon stars.

Ingredients

1 cup superfine granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
3 large eggs at room temperature
3 Tablespoons cold water
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 300 ºF and line a sheet tray with parchment paper.
Whisk together the granulated sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand-mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites only (reserve yolks for another use) with a pinch of salt on medium speed until they hold stiff peaks. Add the water (mixture will loosen) and continue beating until the whites again hold stiff peaks.
Increase the mixer speed to medium-high. Add the sugar mixture, one tablespoon at a time, to the egg whites, beating until all the sugar has been incorporated. Beat 1 additional minute.
Increase the mixer speed to high. Add the vinegar and beat until meringue is thick and glossy, about 5 minutes.
Transfer the meringue to the prepared sheet tray, spreading it into a roughly 8-inch diameter circle (it will spread some as it bakes) with the edges slightly higher than the center in order to create a base for the whipped cream.
Bake the meringue for 45 minutes until it is pale golden. (Do not open the oven while meringue is baking.)
Turn the oven off after 45 minutes and prop open the oven door with a wooden spoon, allowing the meringue to sit for 1 hour inside the oven.

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