CRANBERRY-CURD-AND-CITRUS PAVLOVA

Cranberry-Curd-and-Citrus Pavlova image

A tart cranberry-orange curd offsets the sweetness of the crisp meringue shell in this striking winter dessert. Serve with a billow of whipped cream and segments of your favorite citrus.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories Food & Cooking Dessert & Treats Recipes

Time 6h30m

Yield Serves 8 to 10

Number Of Ingredients 16

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups sugar
4 teaspoons cornstarch
5 large egg whites, room temperature (2 yolks reserved for curd)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
12 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries (3 cups)
3/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup fresh orange juice (from 2 large oranges)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg, plus 2 large egg yolks
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla paste or extract
1/4 teaspoon orange-blossom water (optional)
2 1/2 cups mixed sweet-citrus supremes, such as clementine; mandarin; navel, Cara Cara, and blood orange; and small ruby-red grapefruit (from 5 to 8 total)
1/2 cup husked cape gooseberries (optional)

Steps:

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Trace a 9-inch circle on a piece of parchment. Transfer, traced-side down, to a baking sheet.
Pavlova: Stir together sugar and cornstarch. In the bowl of a mixer, beat egg whites with lemon juice and salt on low speed until frothy. Increase speed to medium-high and gradually add sugar mixture, beating until stiff, glossy peaks form, 10 to 12 minutes. Adhere corners of parchment to sheet with tiny dollops of meringue, then mound rest of meringue in center of circle on parchment. Using a large spoon, spread to edges of circle, leaving a well approximately 5 inches wide and 1 inch deep in center.
Bake until crisp and dry on outside but not developing any color, 1 hour, 10 minutes to 1 hour, 20 minutes. Turn oven off (do not open door); let cool in oven until dry and crisp on outside, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.
Curd: Combine cranberries, sugar, orange juice, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until cranberries burst and collapse, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in butter until melted. Strain mixture through a medium-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing on solids to remove as much liquid as possible; discard solids. In another bowl, whisk together egg and yolks. Slowly whisk 1 cup of cranberry mixture into egg mixture; return to pot with remaining cranberry mixture and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened and beginning to sputter, about 6 minutes. Let cool completely, then press plastic wrap directly on surface and refrigerate in an airtight container until cold, at least 2 hours and up to 5 days.
Serving: Whisk cream, vanilla, and orange-blossom water to soft peaks. Fill well of meringue with curd. Dollop cream over curd; top with citrus supremes and gooseberries. Serve immediately.