Mini Pavlovas with Key Lime Curd

The classic pavlova has a light and crisp exterior and a soft, marshmallowy interior. You can eat them on their own, but they are even more delicious topped with whipped cream, fresh fruit, and/or citrus curd. This recipe pairs the mini pavlovas with a bright, rich and tart key-lime curd. This sweet and sour combo is deliciously memorable and satisfying.

Pavlovas, named after the Russian ballerina, Anna Pavlova, are true to their namesake. They are light as air, beautiful, and graceful as a sugary dessert can be.

What I love about this dessert is that you can prepare all the ingredients several days in advance. Your guests can build their own mini pavlovas to their choosing. We are serving these little gems Easter Sunday because they remind me of little nests filled with bright, colorful eggs.

Pavlovas with Key Lime Curd
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Serves: 10-12 Cooking Time: 1 hour 40 minutes

Ingredients

6 egg whites, room temperature

1.5 cups white sugar

2 tsp corn starch

1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1

Preheat oven to 225 degrees. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper, or a silicon mat, like this.

2

Crack eggs and separate whites from the yokes. (Save yokes — we will use these later in the curd.)

3

Add sugar to egg whites and mix on medium high in mixer for a few minutes, until the mixture is shiny and glossy. Add corn starch and vanilla and mix again until stiff peaks are formed.

4

Carefully spoon egg white mixture into a piping bag, or plastic bag with corner tip cut off. (You can use a fancy decorators tip if you like, but it’s not necessary. I used an Ateco 827 tip.)

5

Starting in middle, pipe 3” circles on lined baking sheet. (The inside of circle should be slightly lower than outside of circle - this creates a small indention for filling.)

6

Place pavlovas in oven and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Turn off oven, but do not yet open door. Allow pavlovas to sit in warm oven for another 20-30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

7

Once cooled, you can eat immediately, or store for up to a week in a partially closed container. (If sealed in an airtight container, the pavlovas become a little soggy.)