Sisters Baking Day, Part One

Every one in a while you should really take a day off work. For no reason. Not for an appointment, not for anything you HAVE to do. Just one day, preferably a Friday, stretching out your weekend and giving you some down time to just relax and do something just for you. Something fun and carefree. That's exactly what we did, my "sister" Jessica and I. We took a day off of adult life and had a Baking Day.

We didn't totally fly by the seat of our pants, we did write up a list and a loose plan. We started with the ingredients we already had on hand and built from there. We managed to scrape together quite a few solid ingredients to build off: cake mix, flour, sugars, a can of raspberry pie filling, a couple fresh peaches, canned blueberries, a little bit of leftover granola, some cherry chips, an assortment of extracts. We headed off to Aldi to get a last few things- we needed fresh citrus fruits for zests and juices, grabbed some cream cheese just in case, some nuts, real butter, and we were in business.

Not gonna lie here, we did grab a brownie mix at Aldi. Brownie mixes are just too easy and really very good to mess with all the melting and mixing of scratch brownies, especially when Aldi had a special buy on Ghirardelli brownie mix. We baked the brownies in mini muffin cups for the perfect two bite brownie treats.

The first recipe we put together was a super easy recipe you're going to want to remember. You start with a cheat item- cake mix. This is the easiest recipe to switch up to suit your tastes and ingredients on hand. Any cake mix, and add-ins. When using a white cake mix, you want to stick with egg whites only, so we used three. If you're using other cake mixes, two whole eggs are perfect. Here is what we did:

Almond Cherry Chip Cookies

1 box 2 layer size white cake mix

1/2 cup oil

3 egg whites

1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract

1/2 cup mini cherry chips*

1/2 cup toasted sliced or slivered almonds

*We used Gurley Golden Recipe brand mini chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the cake mix, oil and egg together.

Stir in the chips and almonds. 

Use a cookie scoop to make evenly sized cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet. Jessica's scoop is about a perfect rounded tablespoon.

Bake for 10 minutes until just lightly browned on the bottom. Let the cookies set on the cookie sheet for 3-4 minutes before removing to a rack to cool. 

We dusted them generously with powered sugar. So so so delicious!!

Up next we were thinking about things that could also go into the freezer, so we'd have treats for future road trips or busy mornings. Naturally muffins were the first thing we thought of! A while back we had a road trip to Boone and visited the Dutch bakery there where we got the most delicious cranberry orange muffins. That's what we decided on. Jessica had some dried cranberries in the cupboard, and fresh oranges and nuts were newly purchased so here is how we made them:

Orange Cranberry Mini Muffins

2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 stick butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup milk

zest of one orange

1 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a mini muffin pan with cooking spray. Set aside.

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together and set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. Use a mixer for this, it's so much easier. Beat in the eggs and vanilla, the zest and then stir in the milk. 

Combine with the dry ingredients, mixing just enough to combine. Don't overmix or the muffins will be tough. Fold in the cranberries and walnuts.

Use a scoop to fill the mini muffin pans. Bake for about 20-25 minutes until muffins are done. Remove from pan and cool on a rack. Dip tops of cooled muffins into orange glaze, or drizzle over them.

Simple Orange Glaze

3/4 cup powdered sugar

freshly squeezed orange juice

Mix together with a whisk until desired consistency. Dip muffins or drizzle over.

The glaze adds just the perfect sweetness and is a great way to use the orange left over after zesting. It's the ultimate topping for these tasty little muffin bites and sets up well so you don't have a sticky mess.

We had plenty more baking on the agenda, so stay tuned!! You won't want to miss the Bars part of our Sisters Baking Day. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 55: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

She Bakes- Very Vanilla Pound Cake

As a hoarder of cookbooks, I don't find myself gravitating to any one particular kind of cookbook, or theme,  cuisine or food type. I'm pretty much equally obsessed with it all. I've said before, in a way cookbooks are like textbooks to me. I read them like other people read best sellers, and I learn from them. I know techniques I haven't used yet, how to cook vegetables I've never seen all because I've read about it. A lot. In the past couple years though it seems like I have really been feeling a pull towards vintage cookbooks more so than current ones. I'll buy the newest release from my favorite cookbook author, for sure, but I've been enjoying time in thrift stores and antique shops, browsing through old home ec cookbooks, church cookbooks, and some really cool old cookbooks in the neighborhood of 100 years old.

One of the highlights of my collection is the Presidential Cookbook, adapted from the White House Cook Book. This gem was published in 1896!! Inside the cover, a previous owner, Isabelle Yost from Oakland, California signed and dated the book December 1, 1906. Besides wondering about Isabelle, I wonder how this book from Oakland ended up in an antique store 100 years later in West Des Moines, Iowa. I plan on spending some serious time with this book and maybe we'll even see a future post with some of the recipes prepared from this one. I think that would be a lot of fun!

I recently acquired a small collection of what must have been free gift cookbooks- small paperbacks from food companies like Jenny Wren Flour and Royal Baking Powder. Included are a couple cookbooks for home canning, published in 1927! Wow, how I loved flipping through that one and seeing how differently home canning is done today. This particular booklet was a gift for customers from the Bank of Dallas Center, in Dallas Center, Iowa. There were recipes for canning foods we rarely see these days- like gooseberries. It's been a long time since I've seen any gooseberries in any store, although on a rare occasion you might find them in farmers markets. Cauliflower made an appearance in there, and these days it's not recommended, but still fun to see how housewives once preserved it. 

What really got to my heart about these booklets were the newspaper clippings and handwritten recipes tucked inside the pages. Many were held together with straight pins, or pinned to a page in the book. Clipped from long-gone newspapers, they were dated 1930-1935. The handwritten recipes were on scraps of paper, then pencil so faded I could barely make out the words. I'm not kidding when I say my eyes teared up a little, wondering about the woman who originally owned these books, who she was, what her life was like.

Probably the biggest thrill in this collection is the paperback Kerr Home Canning Book. Published in 1944 this book is totally geared to the war effort consciousness of the day. With tag lines like "Food is a weapon" and "Food fights for freedom" you can really get the sense of patriotism that World War II era America was living. There were some really wild recipes in there. Canning milk, which we now know you shouldn't do, has full directions. Sweetbreads and other organ meats? Yep, housewives canned those back then. I suppose because literally nothing was wasted during the war years they found ways to preserve as much food as possible. Even artichokes made the list. This booklet was so fun to read through and the 10 cent price tag made me laugh. Times sure have changed.

The lady who sold me the cookbook collection had a couple other incredible foodie collectibles that are now Property of Me- prize ribbons from the Iowa State Fair, one dated 1922, the other 1923. Both were for prize winning fruit or vegetables grown in someones garden. I'd give anything to know who the person was who won these ribbons, and what their entry was. I've entered and won many ribbons in county fairs but never entered the state fair. What a thrill that would have been. The ribbons are very fragile now, after nearly 100 years, so they are going to be framed and given a place of honor in my cookbook room and hopefully I can do some research on past fair winners and maybe get close to finding who these were awarded to.

This stroll down memory lane made me want to dig up an old recipe and give it a new twist. I almost always have the basic ingredients for a cake, and pound cake is a wonderful, and old, recipe. My version uses half and half for richness and double the vanilla of most recipes, half of it being vanilla powder. I use a dark vanilla powder so you get those lovely vanilla specks throughout.

Very Vanilla Pound Cake

2 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 eggs

2 cups flour

2 tablespoons half and half or milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon vanilla powder*

* You can find vanilla powder in most spice aisles. I prefer a dark powder, it looks like vanilla bean flecks. I don't remember the brand name because I put it in a different container!!

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Generously grease a standard size loaf pan and set aside.

Look at all the vanilla flecks in there!

In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the eggs on at a time. Add the remaining ingredients and beat until smooth.

Pour batter into prepared loaf pan, smooth the top.

Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until pick tests clean. Cool for 30 minutes on a rack before removing from pan, then remove and cool completely before slicing.

Sliced berries and a little drizzle of caramel sauce

This cake is the perfect snack just as it is, sprinkle with powdered sugar, drizzle with a glaze- lemon is really lovely! Top slices with fresh berries and whipped cream or ice cream. Use to make trifle or ice cream sandwiches. Pound cake is so versatile and goes with just about any flavor you can pair with it. I love a slice, just plain, with a cup of hot matcha, it's the perfect late night snack.

Another way we love serving pound cake is with boozy macerated berries. Grab some strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries- whatever you like. Slice the strawberries. Toss the fruit with a little bit of sugar and a generous splash of Gran Marnier, Framboise, Cahmbord, or Ste. Germain liqueur. Allow to rest at room temperature for at least an hour. Spoon fruit and juice over cake slices, and top with whipped cream. Sooooo luxe and delicious. Try it!!

Honey Roasted Springtime

My friend Janet has a MASSIVE rhubarb patch that
is decades old and still produces year after year.

If you grew up in the Midwest, like I did, chances are you have memories of Gramma's house, with a big garden in the backyard, many times an apple tree or some other fruit tree, and way in the back of the yard, the ever popular rhubarb patch. It seems to have gone the way of the dodo- not many people are growing rhubarb patches anymore, and that's really sad. This perennial treat is perfect in sweet or savory recipes and makes such a striking display of giant leaves and huge spikes of teeny flower buds. I suppose the suburbanites don't want to dig up a section of their perfectly sodded lawns but even if you don't eat it, it's still a gorgeous plant to have around. Build a flower bed around it, it's really lovely. Back to when I was a kid- everyone and I mean everyone had rhubarb in the backyard. Some of those plants/clumps were decades old. Strawberry rhubarb pie was a very popular dessert when I was growing up, along with rhubarb crisps, crunches, cobblers- you name it. I would imagine simple economics had a lot to do with the popularity of rhubarb back then- thrifty housewives were making good use of what was available in her own backyard.

David Tallman has two different varieties of rhubarb in
his northern Iowa rhubarb patch.

Tastes change over the years and so do lifestyles. People didn't garden like our parents and grandparents did. They didn't have to. Giant supermarkets sprang up all over with huge produce departments that took all the work out of having fresh fruits and vegetables. People embraced this convenience, and the strawberry patches, raspberry bushes, rhubarb patches, apple trees, and vegetable gardens slowly disappeared from our little landscapes.

This spring I was gifted a nice bagful of rhubarb from my very good friends Paul and Jennifer Quick. You might remember Paul from Quick's Hot Spice- he is my Pepper Professor and makes this crazy delicious spice blend. They have a beautiful backyard garden with a large clump of rhubarb and they always give me as much as I want. 

Like fashion, food trends have their cycles and rhubarb is no different. As chefs and food industry insiders began focusing more on locally grown foods and less on what they can have delivered from far away, foods like rhubarb started to appear on menus and in recipes, in cookbooks and magazines, all over again. Kitchen gardens planted with lots of delicious things like herbs, lettuces, radishes, beans and rhubarb as the anchor are popping up all over. Home cooks and restaurant chefs alike are planting gardens to have access to the freshest ingredients possible. I hope this trend continues for many years to come- I've seen so many of my favorite "old" foods come back in style and on plates and I'm loving it. Rhubarb has always been a favorite of mine. It's not a true fruit, but it's most often used as one with some added sweetener to tackle the puckering tartness. Chefs are coming up with all sorts of inventive ways to use rhubarb. Soups, slaws, sauces and even salads get a puckery kick from this leafy plant. I'm most likely to use rhubarb in a pie, but I thought why not try something just a little different this spring, and ROAST the rhubarb. A little drizzle of honey brings the sweet and orange zest adds a bright citrus pop. Hibiscus joins the party as a very unexpected guest and brings a fruity and floral tea-like note to the rhubarb. The key to success with roasted rhubarb is not to OVER roast it. You want the rhubarb to retain its shape and not cook into a watery soft blob. Check your rhubarb at 15 minutes, it should be JUST tender but not mushy. If it's still a bit crunchy keep checking every couple minutes. Rhubarb contains a lot of water and can go from crunchy to soft very quickly. Since we will be using our rhubarb in a baked tart, I'm going to under-roast it a bit to keep some crunchiness so it will hold its shape.

Honey Hibiscus Roasted Rhubarb

3 cups red rhubarb, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

2-3 tablespoons honey

4 tablespoons orange juice

zest of one orange
hibiscus petals, crushed, or hibiscus powder

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Spread the rhubarb pieces onto a rimmed baking sheet, lined with foil. Stir the honey, the zest and orange juice in a small bowl, mixing in some of the hibiscus to taste. Drizzle the honey mixture evenly over the rhubarb. 

Place in oven and roast for 15-30 minutes. You want the rhubarb to be barely tender but still hold its shape. Drizzle with additional orange juice if needed.

Now that we have this beautiful roasted rhubarb, what are we going to do with it? Make tarts of course! Now you can make any size tart you like. I am going to make individual tarts this time. Don't worry if you don't have individual tart pans. Most people don't have a bunch of fancy miniature tart pans sitting around but it's EASY to find a dozen wide mouth canning jar lids! They are cheap, and the perfect size. 

For the filling I decided to go with the traditional French pastry filling frangipane. Made with ground almonds or almond flour, this creamy filling has a delicate almond flavor and goes well with almost any fruit or nut combo. I love it with fresh red raspberries and ripe pears. It just seemed natural to pair it with the fragrant hibiscus and honey roasted rhubarb. I'm using almond flour from Trader Joe's that is 100% almonds. No fillers or sweeteners or additives. That's it. It was perfect.

Frangipane 

1 cup almond flour

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

2 large eggs

3 tablespoons all purpose flour

big pinch of salt

Use a mixer to cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy and light. Add the almond flour and mix in completely, scraping the sides of the mixing bowl often. Add the remaining ingredients and beat until well incorporated.

Heat the oven to 375 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Set aside. 

Roll out pie pastry (purchased or homemade) and cut out circles about one half inch larger around than the rings. Fit the pastry into mini tart pans or canning rings with the lids inside. Fill generously with the frangipane. Top with the rhubarb, arranged in a decorative pattern. 

Bake for 20-30 minutes until golden brown. Cool on a rack. Remove the tarts from the rings or tart pans to serve. Serve topped with whipped cream if desired.

Guys, these were delicious little bites of heaven. The flaky crust cradles the creamy almond filling that isn't overly sweet. The roasted rhubarb has the teeniest hint of honey, a touch of hibiscus and orange flavors. It's a great combination and a new and unique way to add rhubarb to your dessert menu. Give these a try with red raspberries or dark sweet pitted cherries too.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 55: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Another No Recipe Cooking Weekend

We all know one of those planning kinds of people. You know the ones, they sit down with a notebook and a cup of coffee, their calendar and some coupons and plan an entire week's, or more, worth of menus, and actually stick to it. I am NOT that person. Oh I tried, and tried, and tried. I failed. I threw away uncooked vegetables that went bad because I didn't stick to my plan. I just did that in fact, this morning, tossing weepy organic arugula and green beans that I forgot to use for meals during the week. Darn me. I HATE when that happens. I regretfully had to toss an unopened package of beautifully prepared chili lime grilled chicken breast strips because I got lazy and didn't make dinner a few times. I just can't plan ahead! 

A few basics in the pantry and you can make a whole
takeout menu full of recipes for pennies.

Unless.......... it's a manageable amount of food- like say, six bone in chicken breasts. I had a package in the fridge that needed to be cooked or meet a freezing fate in the freezer, so I decided it's time to make some Planned Leftovers. Easy- line a baking sheet with foils, and arrange the chicken breasts on top. Season them liberally. I used the last teaspoon of some Fines Herbes from Penzey's, some garlic salt, Montreal Steak seasoning (I use this for everything), a sprinkle of smoked paprika and some tomato basil seasoning I found on the shelf and rubbed all over the chicken. I popped the chicken breasts into a 350 degree oven and roasted them for about an hour, then I let cool, popped in the fridge, and when cold, pulled the chicken off the bone and saved for some easy meals over the weekend, and I was soooo glad I did. I think I'm going to do this again- on purpose!

Dessert is a snap when you start with a mix

Having had a fairly stressful work week, the weekend was my relax time, my time to do nothing. Cooking wasn't even on my radar. I was whiny, sad that I am missing out on the Italian American Festival and the American Cheese Society's Festival of Cheese- and come on!! Who want to miss these events? One of my Foodie Resolutions was to attend more food events in 2016- and so far it's been a tough one to meet. Not for the last of wanting, however, I have had to miss out on several awesome tastings, cooking classes, and a few other events and I'm not too happy about it. So I had a teeny meeny pity party over missing out. Cooking just wasn't in my game plan this weekend. Thankfully, that roasted chicken will come into play a couple times this weekend.

Faced with certain starvation and a fridge with some pretty tasty ingredients contained therein I opted for the easy way out- a salad. Rescued from the veggie drawer, a mostly full bag of organic baby spinach formed the foundation of my salad. I wish I'd also had some fresh basil leaves but i was forced to make do. A couple of very ripe and juicy Roma tomatoes get cut up into bite size chunks and tossed in the bowl. Half a ball of fresh mozzarella, cubed, goes in next, followed with a generous handful of cut up leftover roast chicken breast. Whip up a quick vinaigrette with some olive oil, Dijon mustard and Balsamic vinegar and toss the whole thing together with some crunchy Italian bread croutons. I didn't have any croutons and I missed that crunch. It was a great light dinner I'd definitely make again.

Sunday was a lazy day. Neither the chef nor I wanted to cook again.....and we still had veggies and chicken to use. Sounds like a crazy stir fry of some sort, with rice, was in order.

Out of boredom, I thought I'd check the pantry and maybe whip up some kind of dessert. I spied some good recipe basics on the shelf and decided a cake of some kind would be easy to pull off. Simple to throw together, mix up a one layer yellow cake mix as the package directs. Pour into 8x8 pan. Grab a can of pie filling of choice- I used red raspberry, and spoon it randomly onto the cake batter, swirling a bit. Sprinkle with a topping if you like- I had some leftover pecan brittle from the Naughtiest Bacon so I used that. Chopped nuts, coconut, a streusel recipe- all would be great. Popped into the oven at 350 degrees for 35 minutes and it was perfect. No frosting needed, a little whipped topping or vanilla ice cream would have been great. 

This quick dessert is a great dish to use and experiment. Use your favorite cake flavors and different pie fillings, or fresh fruit, leftover fried apples, whatever!

Eat The World- Classic French Clafouti

I feel like cooking. Something really good, something rich and hearty, something wonderful for a cold day. Something that braises all day and is filled with beautiful vegetables and red wine and mushrooms and rich beef. As long as I have the oven on all day, I might as well make dessert too, right? Of course!

A while back I was invited to attend a cooking class given by my friend Wini, the author of Chez Bonne Femme Cookbook and a well-known local food writer and reviewer. Sadly I was late for class (such is my luck- a day late and a dollar short) but I was just in time for dessert. Wini taught the group how to master the classic French dessert- clafouti. If you have never had a clafouti you are truly missing out. Wini made her clafouti that night with stone fruit, including big fat juicy cherries. I however, was totally in love with the creamy, eggy custard that surrounded the fruit. Eggy is the perfect way to describe the custard. It has more body than a baked custard and really, you can use any fruit you like. I have a freezer full of fruit, so I'm going to poke around in there and decide what my fruit will be.

When you think of the typical French home cook, you might think of a cook who is busy creating multi-course feasts with encroyable dishes from appetizers to cheese plates to fabulous pastry creations. Not so. The French home cook is much like the American home cook- they just want to get dinner on the table without a lot of fanfare. The French do enjoy their sweets however, but instead of spending hours fussing with pastry and creme Anglaise and meringues and pate choux, they are more likely to pop into a bakery or make a simple, delicious dessert like a clafouti. You will love this recipe. It's easy to make, no outrageous ingredients, and you can use whatever fruit you have on hand. Stone fruits, such as cherries or peaches are super delicious. Wini's recipe uses cherries, I used chunks of juicy peaches and blueberries.

Wini's Cherry Clafouti

• 12 ounces pitted fresh or frozen sweet cherries, thawed and drained well
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon kirsch (cherry brandy)
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter and sugar a 9 inch round nonmetal baking dish with 2 inch sides. I didn't have a round ceramic dish so I used an oval casserole- it works just as well.

Spread the fruit in the baking dish. In a bowl combine the eggs, sugar, vanilla, kirsch and salt. Beat with electric mixer until combined. Add the flour, milk and cream until combined. Pour the batter over the fruit.

Bake until a thin knife inserted near the center of the clafouti comes out clean and the top is a deep golden brown, about 40 minutes. If the top browns too quickly, cover loosely with a sheet of foil. Cool slightly on wire rack. Serve warm, sprinkled with powdered sugar.

A little bit of spiked whipped cream goes beautifully with this dessert but it's just as delicious without. Like Wini said at the class, leftovers are amazing for breakfast the next day. A nice cup of coffee or cappuccino alongside- perfect! Now you MUST own this cookbook. Wini has graciously given me permission to share a recipe or two, but you truly must own this book- the recipes are amazing and easy for us to make at home. Click HERE to get your copy!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 55: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Pavlova- Heaven on a plate

Hasn't been a whole lot of baking going on around here. Not lately. Not many desserts have been coming out of the kitchen at The Little Lake House and I need to change that. Last night I was watching my way through my stockpile of DVRd cooking shows- things I save and watch when The Chef isn't watching tv, like Nigella Lawson and Laura Calder. He just doesn't "get" foreign women. 

Anyway, Nigella was cooking with things she had in the pantry and freezer- using up things basically. She is quite a thrifty gal actually, I was surprised at some of the things she had tucked in the freezer. Chicken bones, because she obviously makes her own stocks, odds and ends of vegetables for casseroles and egg whites- frozen in zip top bags in twos. She had thawed egg whites to make a pavlova and I just HAD TO make one.

If you have never heard of it, a pavlova is a classic dessert created in the early 1900s in honor of the Russian ballerina, Anna Pavlova. It's quite simply, meringue baked until crisp and dry on the outside and tender and marshmallow-like on the inside, topped with whipped cream and passion fruit or berries. I am going to make mine just slightly different, using what I have on hand, so it will be a pastry cream instead of whipped cream, topped with mango chunks and blueberries, with a teeny hint of booziness for fun.

There are just two of us here, so I usually make miniature versions of things, when I can, and that's also the case this time. I just need 2 egg whites for a smaller meringue, so if you make this for guests or your family, be sure and double the ingredients. Of course, you can use the traditional whipped cream instead of pastry cream also. Plan on one cup icy cold heavy whipping cream to make enough fluffy cream to cover the top.

Making meringue is not difficult. Most importantly, you have to be sure the bowl you are using is absolutely grease-free, so use glass or metal rather than plastic. Adding a touch of cornstarch adds some stability to the structure of the meringue and so does the teensiest bit of vinegar I add. Another important step is adding the sugar. You don't want to add it too soon or the egg whites may not reach their fullest volume, but you also want to be sure you have plenty of time for the sugar to dissolve as you finish beating, so you don't have crunchy bits in the meringue. Rubbing a dab between your finger and thumb to check for smoothness is a great way to tell if the sugar is dissolved. You will feel it if it isn't. 

Make sure to spread the meringue mixture out onto parchment or waxed paper. If you spread it onto a sheet pan you may not be able to get it off after it's baked, and if you grease the pan, the meringue will shrink up and not be attractive at all. Spread it out as evenly as possible and use the back of the spoon to create a swirly "rim" so the filling will not run all over. 

Classic Pavlova

2 egg whites, room temperature (reserve the yolks)
tiny pinch salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Heat the oven to 180 degrees.

Prepare the pan by lining with a sheet of parchment paper or waxed paper. Using a plate or small pan as a guide, draw a circle on the paper, about 5-6 inches in diameter for a two egg meringue, or about 9-10 inches for  full size 4 egg meringue. Turn the paper upside down so you can still see the circle but won't be spreading the meringue on the pencil marking.

Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites and salt until soft peaks form. With the mixer still on high, slowly add the sugar and continue beating until sugar is dissolved and meringue forms stiff, shiny peaks. This takes about 2 minutes.

Sift the cornstarch over the egg whites and add the vinegar and vanilla; fold in lightly. Pile the meringue onto the paper and using a spoon, spread and shape the meringue into a circular shell. Remember to build up a slight rim.

Bake for about 90 minutes. Turn off the oven and DO NOT REMOVE meringue! Let it cool completely in the oven, at least an hour. Peel off the paper and place on serving plate. Top with cream and fruit.

Pastry Cream

1 cup milk
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon butter

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan. 

Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add butter, stirring to milk in completely. Pour into bowl, cover with plastic wrap placed directly on the surface. Chill completely before using.

Now, I'll let you in on a little secret. Pastry chefs the world over will cringe at this idea but hey, it works perfectly so here goes- use a whisk to combine all the ingredients in a large microwave safe container. Cook on high one minute, whisk; and repeat until mixture is thick and smooth, checking every 30 seconds after 2 minutes. It took 2 1/2 minutes and came out perfect- no lumps!

Boozy Fruit

1/4 cup blueberries
1/2 cup mango or peach chunks
1/2 cup sliced strawberries
1 tablespoon Chambord liqueur
lemon zest
sugar, if needed

Combine the fruits, liqueur, zest. Add a touch of sugar if needed. I used frozen fruits and let them thaw so they would be a bit softer and juicer than fresh. Pile the fruit on top of the pavlova and cream. Serve immediately.

Oh my goodness..... this dessert..... is heavenly. The meringue is so delicate and ethereal. As you break that crisp crust the interior is tender like a marshmallow. The cream and fruit kind of become part of the meringue after a short while, and it's just sooooo delicious. You can use almost any fruit you like. I had these in the freezer and they were a great combination.

A few final notes:  I had a little trouble with the waxed paper this time. Might have been crummy quality paper, but it stuck to the baking pan and the meringue more than I expected. A silicone liner might be a better option if you have one. I need to get one!