Lemon Blueberry Pavlova

Lemon Blueberry Pavlova

My favorite way to enjoy lemon meringue is with pavlova. The meringue base cools and dries out slowly, creating a crispy, crunchy crust on the outside which contrasts beautifully with a soft, sticky center. Topped with an intense lemon curd filling, fresh blueberries, and a homemade blueberry sauce, this dessert takes a little bit of time to make but is also simple and easy to pull off!

Prep Time:
25 mins
Cook Time:
1 hr 20 mins
Additional Time:
3 hrs 15 mins
Total Time:
5 hrs
Yield:
6 servings
Servings:
6

There are few "fancy" desserts as easy and delicious as the always beautiful Pavlova. Crispy and crunchy on the outside, soft and marshmallowy on the inside, and the perfect nest for something tangy and fresh (like a lemon curd sauce), and fresh blueberries. Just to hedge our bets, we also added a fresh blueberry sauce, since you can't have too many sauces.

Of course, easy doesn't mean fast or without effort, but the procedure itself is super simple: If you can work a whisk, you can make a beautiful Pavlova. One of the cool things about this baked meringue is that no matter how you shape it on the pan, whether you use spoons or a piping bag, it always looks fantastic when it comes out of the oven.

In fact, if you go back and watch our strawberry Pavlova video, you’ll notice we went with the no design method there. We simply piled the whites on, smoothed out the top, and baked it just like that. Once cooled, you can shatter the top with a spoon and add your topping(s). Basically, as long as it cooks long enough and cools slowly in the oven, not much can go wrong. So, no matter what yours looks like, or which fruits and/or fruit sauces you garnish with, I really hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

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Ingredients

For Serving

  • ½ cup fresh blueberries, or more to taste
  • 1 sprig fresh mint

For the Blueberry Sauce

  • 1 cup blueberries
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar
  • ½ cup cold water

For the Lemon Curd Filling

  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons lemon zest
  • 1 pinch salt
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • ¼ cup lemon juice

For the Meringue

  • cooking spray
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 pinch cream of tartar
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

Step 1
Prepare lemon curd filling: Cut butter into small pieces and set aside.

Step 2
Separate eggs, placing yolks in a heat-proof bowl and whites in glass, metal, or ceramic bowl. Cover egg whites and leave on the counter to come to room temperature for the meringue.

Step 3
Add lemon zest, salt, sugar, and lemon juice to egg yolks. Whisk until thoroughly combined.

Step 4
Add 1 to 2 inches water to a saucepan over low heat; bring to a simmer. Place bowl of filling over the simmering water. Cook, stirring constantly with a spatula, until mixture is very hot to the touch and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 10 to 15 minutes.

Step 5
Stir in butter, 3 or 4 pieces at a time, waiting until butter has melted before each addition. Remove from the heat and pour filling into a bowl to cool, about 15 minutes. Lay plastic wrap on top of the filling, pressing down so it doesn't develop a skin, and place in the refrigerator until well chilled, 2 to 3 hours.

Step 6
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with a silicone liner, such as Silpat®. Lightly spray with cooking spray.

Step 7
Begin meringue: Mix cornstarch into sugar and set aside.

Step 8
Add cream of tartar, lemon juice, and vanilla to the reserved egg whites. Whisk with a large whisk until very soft peaks form, about 3 minutes. Whisk in sugar mixture, 2 tablespoons at a time, whisking about 1 minute between each addition, until incorporated. When all sugar mixture has been added, continue to whisk until relatively stiff peaks form and whites are firm enough to hold their shape.

Step 9
Use 2 spoons or a piping bag to transfer whites onto the prepared baking sheet, forming a ring of dollops about 8 or 9 inches across. Fill in the middle with meringue, then go back around the edges adding more meringue to build up the outside edge.

Step 10
Bake in the center of the preheated oven for exactly 1 hour. At 1 hour, turn off the oven and crack the door. Let meringue sit in the oven until its cooled completely, about 1 hour.

Step 11
Meanwhile, prepare blueberry sauce: combine 1 cup blueberries, sugar, and water in a saucepan over medium heat; bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until blueberries collapse and liquid thickens, about 10 minutes.

Step 12
Remove from the heat and pass through a fine mesh strainer. Place in the refrigerator until fully chilled, about 45 minutes.

Step 13
Very carefully transfer cooled meringue to a serving platter using 2 large spatulas if necessary; you may get some cracks but that's okay. Use a spoon to crack the center a bit to make room for the filling.

Step 14
Fill the center with chilled lemon curd filling. Place remaining blueberries over top and drizzle with blueberry sauce. Garnish with mint.

Chef’s Notes:

Make sure you use a good quality butter.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

424
Calories
19g
Fat
62g
Carbs
5g
Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 6
Calories 424
% Daily Value *
Total Fat19g 24%
Saturated Fat11g 54%
Cholesterol165mg 55%
Sodium76mg 3%
Total Carbohydrate62g 23%
Dietary Fiber1g 4%
Total Sugars58g
Protein5g
Vitamin C12mg 60%
Calcium30mg 2%
Iron1mg 4%
Potassium125mg 3%

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

**Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient.If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.

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