Peaches & Cream Pavlovas
Nothing like biting into a juicy, fresh peach to feel that instant summer refreshment. In season in Georgia and South Carolina from May to August, it’s pretty easy to find perfectly ripe peaches right now at your local grocery store. What better way to let the peaches shine in a dessert than my complementing them with light, fluffy cream? And how about a crispy meringue to add some variety of texture? Enter: Peaches & Cream Pavlovas!
The delicious Pavlova, a classic dessert from Australia/New Zealand, is one of my favorite gluten-free desserts because it’s naturally gluten-free and pairs beautifully with a multitude of flavors, from berries to chocolate and so much more.
To make a good Pavlova, you need good quality egg whites. I use pasture-raised eggs. I also use organic sugar and, for the whipped cream, I use organic heavy cream. Make sure to get peaches that are still firm but ripe.
Ingredients
- 2 Large Nature's Yoke egg whites, at room temperature
- 1/4 tsp kosher or fine sea salt
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/2 cup superfine sugar
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract, divided
- 3/4 tsp cornstarch
- 2 firm but ripe peaches
- 4 tsp powdered sugar, divided
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup chopped pistachios
- Mint leaves, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Beat the egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar starting on low and gradually increasing the speed to high until the egg whites start to get foamy. Gradually add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, and beat until stiff, glossy peaks form. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla and the cornstarch.
- Place 4 equally sized mounds of the meringue on the prepared baking sheet then, using the back of a spoon, form into rounds about 3 inches in diameter and create a little well in the center of each mound. Place in the oven, then immediately lower the heat to 200 degrees. Bake for 90 minutes or until firm and dry. Let cool completely.
- Pit and slice the peaches and place in a bowl with 2 teaspoons of powdered sugar, gently toss to coat, and let sit at room temperature.
- When the pavlovas are cool, whip the cream with the remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla and 2 teaspoons powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.
- Spoon the whipped cream into the pavlovas, top with the peaches, pistachios, and mint leaves, and serve.
