{Guest Post & Giveaway} Pavlova with Oksana from Order Matters

We are soooo excited to have Oksana from Order Matters with an aaaamazing guest post today!  You’re going to love her and her fantastic recipe for Pavlova…

Hello, I am Oksana from Order Matters blog and I am super excited to share one of my favorite dessert recipes with you. One of the things that makes my entertaining simple is having a few trusted dessert recipes that I can turn to at any time. If entertaining overwhelms you, I encourage you to identity and master a handful of dishes. With a short prep time of just 20 minutes and a huge wow factor, this Pavlova is one of my go-to recipes.

Pavlova is an Australian dessert named after the famous Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova. Indeed, it is as delicate and light as a ballerina. My children request Pavlova year-round and especially for their birthdays. It is a simple and versatile recipe. It can be made dairy-free (or pareve, as those who follow the Jewish dietary law call it) for those who are lactose intolerant or simply avoid dairy. It is also a Passover-friendly recipe. This recipe serves 6 people.

Ingredients:
5 large egg whites at room temperature*
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch or potato starch
2 teaspoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1 cup heavy cream or non-dairy whipping cream (like Nutrawhip), whipped
2 cups sliced berries or mango or kiwi, use whatever is in season

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. With a pencil trace the bottom of a 9-inch pan or pot on a sheet of parchment paper. Transfer it to a baking sheet and set aside. Do no apply a non-stick spray or grease of any sort.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk, beat eggs whites until glossy peaks begin to form.

With mixer going, add a touch of salt and sugar in small portions.

Beat the egg whites until meringue is stiff and glossy.

Add cornstarch (or potato starch), vanilla, and vinegar and mix on slow speed.

3. Spread the meringue gently in the 9-inch circle outlined on the parchment paper. The meringue should not touch the edges of the circle.

Put the baking sheet into the oven. After 15 minutes, reduce the temperature to 275 degrees and bake for another hour. Do not open the oven during baking. Upon completion of the 1 hour and 15 minutes of baking, the meringue should be firm to the touch. Turn off the oven and leave meringue in the oven to cool (another 45 minutes or so). The meringue can be made a day in advance. Store it uncovered in a dry place.
4. When you take the meringue out of the oven, it should be dry to the touch and it might crack a little (it will be covered with cream, so do not worry about how it looks.) Transfer the meringue carefully with your hands onto a cake stand or platter.

Spread the whipped cream on the meringue. Add fruit shortly before serving.

5. Enjoy!

* The room temperature requirement is very important. It takes several hours for eggs to come to room temperature. Plan on taking eggs out of the fridge at least 4 hours prior to making this recipe or, as I learned from Ina Garten, you can take them out right before going to bed and then make a Pavlova first thing in the morning. ___________________________________________________________

Thank you so much Oksana!! I can’t wait to try this amazing recipe that my Mom used to talk about all the time but for some reason I don’t think she ever made it for us girls!  Love ya Mom!!

Oksana is also sponsoring a giveaway today for…

Enter to win this intoxicating Classic Toile Three-Wick Candle from Seda France. This hand-made candle combines the pineapple fruit and sweet coconut for a decadent tropical base with hints of leafy citrus cilantro, aromatic apricot, soft musk and vanilla. 60-70 hour burn time. $42 value.

To enter…

• Head on over to Order Matters and become a follower
• Like Order Matters on Facebook.
• Leave a comment for each item completed!

Giveaway closes Sunday, May 29th and the winner will be announced Monday 30th!!