Pineapple Pavlova

Matt and I spent the afternoon in Back Bay Saturday - we did some window shopping, I failed at actual shopping, and we spent some time in the Boston Public Library.  The Library is awesome, by the way.  There's a beautiful courtyard in the middle that seems like the perfect place to sip a cup of coffee while you read your new favorite book.  Our library trip was pretty successful - I checked out three new books that I've spent the rest of the afternoon flipping through and dreaming about what to make.  Here's what I know for sure:  We are totally making Thomas Jefferson's ice cream recipe (found in The Founding Foodies: How Washington, Jefferson, and Franklin Revolutionized American Cuisine.  Once again, we will learn that Ben Franklin invented everything.).  Jefferson also has an asparagus recipe with raspberry vinaigrette that Matt has requested (with raspberries!  He wants raspberries!  I tried to conceal my excitement about this.  I love raspberries!). 

We also checked out A Colonial Plantation Cookbook: The Receipt Book of Harriott Pinckney Horry, 1770.  A quick flip through reveals a lot of similar recipes to Amelia Simmons, and something called "Water Cake" that requires an hours worth of beating.  I might try to speed that process up.  And last but not least, Maguelonne Toussaint-Samat's award-winning History of Food.  This was originally published in French, and as such, has more of a Continental feeling than my other early cookbook research.

Pineapple Pavlova - yum!

I flipped immediately to Toussaint-Samat's section on fruit.  She writes that the name pineapple comes from early Spanish explorers who thought the fruit looked like pine cones, and named them accordingly (in fact, the "apple" part was added later).  Pineapples brought to the Old World often spoiled during the long voyage, and it wasn't until the hot-house was invented in Leyden, Holland in the mid-1600s that Europeans developed a taste for the fruit. By the late 1700s, pineapples had become extremely fashionable in high society, and probably around this time (or a little later) became a symbol of hospitality in the New World. Interestingly, Amelia Simmons has no mention of pineapples in her book, implying that they weren't terribly ubiquitous or may not have been affordably priced.

That's vinegar in that shot glass.  Not vodka. 

What that means is that while the pineapple pavlova I made was likely something Amelia Simmons could have made - in that it requires only common ingredients (minus, apparently, the pineapple) and is not terribly difficult - she likely did not.  Which is really too bad for her because it was delicious.  The pavlova was named after Russian ballet dancer Anna Pavlova, and is thought to have been created in her honor during one of her tours to either Australia or New Zealand in the 1920s.  Apparently, the two countries are in something of a battle for bragging rights for the original pavlova.  I can totally understand that.  I wish I'd invented it, too.

You want very stiff peaks.  No falling down on the job.

This recipe comes from my mom through insistence by my dad.  I'd mentioned that I had some leftover egg whites, and told me I had to make this.  He was right.  Not only is at an awesome way to use up any leftover egg whites you might have (from making Vanilla Sablés, for instance), but you could use any fruit you want for the filling.  We chose pineapple because we had a can of it and we both like it (although I'm sure fresh would be better). Since I made two small ones, we had leftovers.  The leftover shell will keep for a day in an airtight container - any longer than that and it might get a little soggy.  But the more important concern is why are you letting something this delicious go uneaten?? 

Ready to bake.

Cooling in the oven.

 Pineapple Pavlova

2 egg whites
1/2 cup superfine sugar (I used regular sugar and it worked just fine)
1/2 tsp white vinegar
1/4 tsp corn starch

Preheat oven to 250. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Beat egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form.  Add sugar, one tablespoon at a time, and beat until very stiff peaks form and sugar is dissolved (rub a bit between your thumb and index finger - if you can feel the sugar crystals, they're not dissolved).  Sprinkle vinegar and cornstarch on top, fold into egg whites with a spatula.

Spread the egg white mixture onto the baking sheet into a circle, making a well in the center.  I made to 5-inch circles with this amount, but you could make a larger, probably 9-10 inch circle as well, if that strikes your fancy.

Bake for about 75 minutes, until the dessert is dry and pale in color (you don't want to brown it at all).  Turn off oven, and crack oven door.  Let the pavlova cool completely in the oven with the door cracked.

To fill:

Fill the well in the egg white base with whipped cream, top with whatever fruit you like.