RASPBERRY PAVLOVA WITH PEACHES AND CREAM

Raspberry Pavlova With Peaches and Cream image

This Pavlova's meringue foundation has freeze-dried raspberry powder shot through it, tinting it pink and giving it a fruity, candy-like flavor. But if you can't get the freeze-dried berries, just leave them out. The meringue will still bake up with a shatteringly crisp shell and a marshmallow-like interior that makes an edible bowl for the whipped cream and fruit. If it's not humid out, the meringue shell can be baked up to a day ahead. Otherwise, it's best made the day you plan to serve it.

Provided by Melissa Clark

Categories parfaits and trifles, project, dessert

Time 2h30m

Yield 10 to 12 servings

Number Of Ingredients 14

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups freeze-dried raspberries (1 1/3 ounces)
6 large egg whites, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups/300 grams granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
Pinch of fine sea salt
1/2 cup/125 grams Demerara sugar
1/2 vanilla bean, split
2 (1 1/2-inch) strips lemon zest
3 small (or 2 large) ripe peaches, pitted and sliced
1/2 pint raspberries (1 cup)
2 cups/480 milliliters heavy cream
1/2 cup/120 milliliters sour cream
1 1/2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
Tiny pinch of fine sea salt

Steps:

Heat oven to 250 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and draw a circle with a 9-inch diameter, then flip paper upside-down. You'll still be able to see the outline.
Using a blender or food processor, blend the raspberries until you get a fine powder speckled with seeds. (The seeds won't break down so don't even try.) You should have about 1/3 cup. Set aside.
Using the bowl from an electric mixer, whisk together egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar and salt. Fill a medium pot with 1 inch of water and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Set the mixing bowl with the egg white mixture into the pot, and whisk constantly by hand until sugar dissolves and mixture is warm, 3 to 5 minutes.
Remove bowl from heat, transfer bowl back to the mixer, and beat with the whisk attachment on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 5 to 8 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the raspberry powder until combined but still very streaky.
Spoon mixture onto prepared parchment paper circle. Lightly drag a spatula along the outer edges of the mixture from bottom to top, to help build up the edges so there is a deep well in the center of the pavlova. Bake for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or until dry and firm to the touch. Transfer to a rack to cool completely, about 1 hour.
A half-hour before serving, prepare the topping: Stir together 1/2 cup water, sugar, vanilla bean and lemon zest in a small pot over medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved and syrup is thickened slightly, about 3 minutes. Put peaches in a bowl, stir in syrup and let cool.
Whisk together cream, sour cream, confectioners' sugar and salt until firm peaks form, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Fill cooled pavlova with whipped cream; use a slotted spoon to top with peach mixture and raspberries, then drizzle with some of the syrup from bottom of the peach bowl. Serve at once.