Berry Vacherin

Total Time: 4 hrs 40 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 4 hrs 10 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 10
• 6 large egg whites, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar, plus more for dusting
• 1 1/2 pints mixed berries, red and golden raspberries, and fresh red currants
• 3/4 cup red raspberry sauce
• 1 pint fresh raspberry
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (please do not use bottled kind)
• 1/2-1 teaspoon salt

Recipe

• 1 make the pavlova and the cream:.
• 2 preheat the oven to 200ºf with two racks centered.
• 3 trace a 9-inch circle on each of 2 pieces of parchment paper.
• 4 turn over, and use each piece to line a baking sheet.
• 5 set aside.
• 6 place egg whites in the clean bowl (copper, if possible) of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
• 7 beat on high speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes.
• 8 add 1/4 cup granulated sugar; beat to combine.
• 9 gradually add remaining 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until whites are very stiff and glossy.
• 10 add 1 teaspoon vanilla; beat just until combined.
• 11 divide batter between the traced circles, and use an icing spatula or rubber spatula to spread evenly to the edges of the circles.
• 12 place baking sheets on separate racks in the oven, and bake about 3 1/2 hours, switching the upper and lower sheets every 30 minutes.
• 13 when fully cooked, the meringues should be and dried and crisp on the outside, yet soft and somewhat chewy inside; test by tapping the center lightly with a fork.
• 14 remove from oven, and let cool completely on baking sheets.
• 15 combine cream, remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla and 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar in a chilled metal bowl; whip until cream is stiff but soft.
• 16 place one meringue on a serving plate, and spread 3/4 of the whipped cream over it.
• 17 scatter half of the berries over, and place the second meringue on top.
• 18 spoon remaining cream onto the center of the meringue, and heap remaining berries on top.
• 19 dust the top with confectioners' sugar.
• 20 slice the vacherin with a thin sharp knife, and serve immediately with red raspberry sauce on the side.
• 21 red raspberry sauce:
• 22 combine raspberries, sugar, lemon juice, and salt in a small nonreaactive saucepan over low heat.
• 23 cook until berries release their juice an just start to break down, about 5 minutes.
• 24 use a rubber spatula to press berries through a fine sieve; discard solids.
• 25 let cool, and refrigerate until ready to use.