Spicy Ginger Liqueur adds a punchy finish to bright summer blueberries that adorn this light as air dessert. Crisp on the outside, and marshmallowy on the inside, this pavlova has it all. And don’t sleep on the blueberry sauce- try it on ice cream, yogurt, or cheesecake- or just eat it right out of the fridge by the spoonful.

Recipe by Liz Clements of Think Like a Baker, helping home bakers become confident and creative in the kitchen.

Pavlova

• 3 large egg whites
• 175g sugar
• ½ tsp cornstarch
• ⅛ tsp cream of tartar
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 F and place a rack in the middle of the oven.
2. Trace 9  3-inch circles onto parchment paper. Line a sheet tray with the parchment paper, traced side down and set aside.
3. Mix together all ingredients except vanilla extract and cook over a double boiler/saucepot of simmering water, stirring and scraping constantly until an instant-read thermometer reaches 140 F.  If you don’t have a thermometer, the mixture should feel quite hot to the touch and no longer grainy.
4. Remove from double boiler and whip on high speed. Continue whipping until very stiff peaks form and the bottom of the bowl has cooled to body temperature. Add the vanilla and on mix, on medium speed, until just combined.
5. Scoop or pipe roughly ⅔ cup of the meringue mixture onto each circle. Using the back of a spoon or a mini offset spatula, smooth any rough or uneven edges out. Then, using the back of a spoon, make a shallow well on the top of each meringue to hold the whipped cream and berries. Don’t stress too much about the pavlovas being perfectly round or smooth, it’s part of their wabi-sabi charm.
6. Place in the 350 F oven and immediately turn the oven off. Let the pavlovas cook gently in the oven for 1 hour. After one hour, crack the oven door open with a kitchen towel or crumpled up foil to cool completely. The pavlovas should easily peel off the parchment paper when they are finished.
7. Once completely cooled, store tightly wrapped in a container until ready to use, or use immediately. Pavlovas will keep wrapped at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the freezer for up to one month.  If freezing, remove pavlovas and allow to defrost completely at room temperature before unwrapping and using.

Whipped Cream

• 360g (1 ½  cups) cold heavy cream
• 1 to 3 Tbsp powdered sugar
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• Tiny pinch of salt

1. By hand, or with a stand or handheld mixer, whip all ingredients until medium/stiff peaks form.
2. Whipped cream is best just after it is made, so I like to whip it up just before serving.

Blueberry and Ginger Liqueur Sauce

• 1 heaping pint of blueberries, divided
• 3 Tbsp New Deal Ginger Liqueur
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice

1. In a non-reactive saucepot, combine 1 ½ cups of blueberries, and remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.
2. When the fruit reaches a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for approximately 5 minutes until slightly thickened and saucy. The blueberries will burst and the sauce will be a deep purple hue.
3. Allow mixture to completely cool before serving. To speed up the cooling, transfer to a shallow dish and pop in the freezer until cool.

Assembly

1. Top each pavlova with a generous dollop of whipped cream, making a slight well on top.
2. Spoon a generous amount of blueberry sauce on top and finish with fresh berries.