Oh Yea: Pavlovas With Berry Coulis, Chantilly Cream & Toasted Coconut

By Kira Wills, Guest Blogger, Girl Meats Fork

A few months ago, I went to a seminar about the proper steps to take to get a literary agent because I need to re-start the difficult process of selling it.  I walked in feeling extremely shy and nervous and a misfit (youngest person in the room and I wasn’t writing about vampires) and walked out feeling an incongruous combination of inspiration and terror.  The speaker had published a book eight years ago.  While it wasn’t a bestselling juggernaut like the Harry Potter series or Eat Pray Love, she had what we all craved: a published novel. But she was breathless with angst over her stalled second manuscript and discouragingly candid about how cutthroat the publishing world is.

Afterwards, I desperately needed security in my passions.  I found it in both the kitchen—ironically with fire and knives—and in beautifully intriguing words like “pavlova” and “chantilly” and “coulis.”  While I’m nowhere closer to the perfect query letter or a literally agent, I did create something: the best dessert I’ve EVER had.

Pavlovas with Chocolate Chantilly Cream, Red Berry Coulis and Toasted Coconut is a light, heavenly indulgence of flavor and texture.  It is chocolaty and sweet and tangy and crunch.  More importantly, it’s reassuring that if I can make this tiny dream tangible, then maybe I can tackle the bigger ones.

What’s more, it’s also the perfect dessert for Valentine’s Day.  It looks complicated, and while you can’t whip this up in an hour, you can plan and work in steps, you can create a dessert worthy of your sweetie, who will love and appreciate the effort.  Forego the roses, and try out some pavlovas!

Pavlovas with Chocolate Chantilly Cream, Red Berry Coulis and Toasted Coconut

Meringues

Adapted from recipe at epicurious.com

Toasted Coconut, recipe as follows

6 egg whites (about 1 cup of egg whites)

1 ½ teaspoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon cider vinegar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ cup sugar

¼ cup boiling water

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment.

Using an electric mixer with a whisk attachment, beat egg whites, cornstarch, vinegar, vanilla and salt until foamy. Gradually add sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Beat in 1/4 cup boiling water, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until whites are stiff and glossy. Pipe or spoon meringue onto baking sheets in circular shapes about 4 to 5 inches in diameter and 1 inch thick.  (NOTE: If you have a piping bag or piping tips, it will be easier to make the meringues uniform, but a spatula works too).

Bake meringue for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 200°F and bake until dry and crisp outside and just cooked through inside, about 1 hour, although it may take a little longer. My meringues were a dusky light brown on the outside and squishy like marshmallows in the middle.  Turn off oven. Let meringue stand in oven 1 hour and leave in oven until completely cool and ready to serve.

Store between layers of parchment in an air-tight container for up to 4 days.

Toasted Coconut

1 ½ cup sweetened coconut flakes

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Spread coconut on a baking sheet. Toast until a light golden brown, stirring every few minutes to prevent burning, about 8 to 10 minutes.  Do not leave the kitchen.  It will burn very quickly.  Cool.

This can be made the day before.  Store in an air-tight container.

Chocolate Chantilly Cream

1 cup of heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

Chill metal mixer bowl in freezer for about 5 minutes.  Sift sugar and cocoa together in bowl or onto parchment paper.  Whisk heavy cream at high speed, gradually adding cocoa mixture while beating.  You may need to scrape the bowl a few minutes to full incorporate cocoa and sugar.  Whipped cream should be the consistency of shaving cream.  (NOTE: Mixture should not be overly sweet.)  Refrigerate any leftovers.

Red Berry Coulis

16 ounces fresh or frozen strawberries (if fresh, hulled and cut in half)

6 oz fresh or frozen raspberries

1 cup sugar plus more if needed

2 tablespoons of lemon juice

*If using frozen berries, make sure they are thawed.

Add all ingredients into a saucepan.  Cook over medium heat until it boils slightly at the sides.  It only takes a few minutes.  Taste and add more sugar if needed.  Transfer to blender and blend until smooth.

This can be made the day before.  Refrigerate until ready to use and up to a week.

Chef’s Note:  It won’t last a week.  It makes fantastic margaritas, toppings for pancakes or base for smoothies.

Assembly

Remove a meringue from cooking sheet.  Place onto saucer.  Spread a generous dollop of Chocolate Chantilly Cream on top.  Drizzle with Coulis.  Sprinkle on toasted coconut.  Repeat process.  Garnish with chopped fresh strawberries, if you have them.  Enjoy!