Sweet Citrus Basil Mini Pavlovas
Pavlovas are ethereal desserts. Slightly crunchy on the outside, light and fluffy and slightly chewy on the inside, these baked meringues are elegant, eye-catching, and surprisingly easy. While the meringue is often flavored with vanilla, it is a blank canvas and can deliver on a wide range of flavors, which is why we thought it was the perfect vehicle for sweet basil and citrus. This uses a simple syrup, which doesn’t even need a pan and can be heated in the microwave. The unused syrup can be stored in your refrigerator for about a month, and used in recipes like this Sweet Citrus Basil Spritzer.
Take your time adding the granulated sugar to this recipe. The sugar needs to incorporate fully into the meringue before it’s baked to maintain the fluffy/chewy texture; otherwise, it can turn out grainy. You can roll some meringue between your fingers to check on it. If it feels sandy, then you have to keep whipping the sugar. This dish just uses egg whites, and we don’t recommend boxed whites because the eggs should be fresh. If you’re feeling extra industrious you can use the yolks to make the lemon curd filling. If not, then you can freeze the yolks for future use.
*Preparation time includes one hour for steeping simple syrup
1 cup water
3/4 cup Granulated Honey
1/4 cup Sweet Citrus Basil Seasoning
4 large egg whites, room temperature
Pinch of Kosher Salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1 cup strawberries, chopped
1/2 cup blueberries
1 teaspoon Sweet Basil Citrus Seasoning
1 Tablespoon Granulated Honey
1/4 cup water
Lemon curd, as needed, to fill meringues
1. Make simple syrup. Combine water, Granulated Honey, and Sweet Citrus Seasoning in a small pot or a microwave-safe bowl. Heat until all the sugar is dissolved and remove from heat. Let sit for one hour, then strain out solids through a double layer of cheese cloth. Set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 250°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper, and using a 3-inch wide cookie cutter or jar, draw 12 circles on the two pieces of parchment.
3. Separate egg yolk from egg whites, and freeze or store yolks for another use.
4. Put egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Add a pinch of salt and whip egg whites at medium-high speed until soft, glossy peaks form. To check peaks, stop the mixer and pull the whisk out of the egg white. If the peaks of the eggs curl over on themselves, that is soft peak stage.
5. With the mixer running, add 1/4 cup of Sweet Citrus Basil simple syrup, and whip to incorporate. Then add granulated sugar 1 Tablespoon at a time until that is incorporated. Beat meringue for another 5 minutes or so, until stiff peaks form. Stiff peaks are achieved when you pull the whisk from the eggs and the egg whites peak and do not curl.
6. Sprinkle in cornstarch and vinegar, and fold gently to combine.
7. Use two spoons and scoop meringue into the center of the circles. Use the spoons to shape the mounds into rounds, and press indentations into the center of each round.
8. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until meringues are firm and dry, but not brown. Turn off the oven and let the meringues cool in the over for one more hour.
9. While meringues bake, make the compote. Add strawberries, blueberries, Sweet Citrus Basil Seasoning, Granulated Honey, and 1/4 cup water to a small sauce pan or pot. Bring to a boil and then let simmer until fruit has released all its juices, but it doesn’t look “jammy”. Remove from heat and set aside.
10. When meringues are completely cooled, gently lift them off the parchment. They are fragile on the outside and can crack easily, so use a spatula to help lift them if necessary.
11. Fill the impression in the middle of the meringues with a dollop of lemon curd, then drizzle with Sweet Citrus Basil compote. If compote has tightened up as it has cooled, loosen it up by stirring in a touch of cool water. Serve immediately.
