Lime Curd Pavlova

RECIPE:

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: Medium

PREPARATION TIME: 40 minutes prep, 1.5 hours to bake

SERVINGS: Approximately 10-12

Meringues:

4 jumbo egg whites (Save the yolks for the curd!)

Pinch of salt

¾ cups sugar

1 tsp cornstarch

½  tsp vanilla extract

½  tsp distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar

Lime Curd:

4 egg yolks

4 limes

½ cup granulated white sugar

1 stick butter, room temperature

Other toppings:

1/2 Cup heavy whipping cream

½ cup fresh blueberries

To make the meringue:

1. Preheat the oven to 220°F and line a baking tray with parchment paper or a silpat.
2. Make sure your bowl is clean as a whistle, by wiping with a dab of vinegar, and dry with a paper towel. Any grease in the bowl will prevent your egg whites from getting fluffy as a cloud.
3. Separate the whites and yolks of the eggs, keeping the yolks aside for later. Precision is key–no yolks in the whites!
4. In a stand mixer  with the whisk attachment on high, whip the egg whites and salt, until foamy. Then, add the vinegar, vanilla and corn starch.
5. Keep whipping, and add the sugar one tablespoon at a time, so that it can dissolve completely into the egg whites, then continue to whip until you have a silky, shiny mixture with stiff peaks. Aren’t you a proper baker?
6. Confidently, use a dessert spoon to scoop 10-12 neat rounds of meringue onto the prepared baking tray, allowing space between each round. Create a lovely little well into the centre of each.
7. Place the tray into the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 190°F. Bake for 1.5 hours. Do not open the oven door!
8.  When the time is up, turn off the oven and allow the meringues to cool in the oven. This will prevent them from cracking.
9. When the oven is cool, remove meringues from the oven.

To make the curd:

1. In a  double boiler, bring 2 inches of water to a boil.
2. Place the egg yolks, sugar, zest and lime juice in the top of the double boiler.
3. Reduce the heat under the boiling water to a simmer and place the bowl on the pot. Whisk the mixture continuously, scraping the sides of the bowl for 4-5 minutes – until the mixture begins to thicken to about the consistency of syrup. Do not stop whisking unless you are in the mood for some very unusual scrambled eggs.
4. Remove the bowl from the heat, and add the butter in pieces. Do not stop whisking until all of the butter is incorporated into the curd. Whisk! Whisk away!
5. Chill in the refrigerator until the curd reaches 40°F, before moving on to the next step.

Assembling the pavlovas:

1. Whisk the whipping cream to stiff peaks.
2. Add the lime curd to the bowl and gently swirl together with the cream, just enough to create ripples through the cream. It needn’t be fully incorporated.
3. Evenly distribute the mixture into the wells of the meringue nests and decorate with fresh blueberries.

Note: Both the meringue and curd can be made ahead. Whip the cream and assemble pavlovas just before serving.