Mascarpone cream and Berries Pavlova

When walking around the markets of Paris it is hard to ignore the variety of berries: blueberries, red raspberries, blackberries, cassis, red and white currants. There are days when stall owners arrange a mosaic of berries and the view is spectacular. The berries are of course joined by other wonderful fruits like strawberries, wonderful cherries or Mirabelle from Alsace.

With such a variety, it is clear that Chef’s desserts are based on seasonal collections and when the berries arrive (summer months) then the deep red color dominates and the look is spectacular.

So I also decided to join the celebration and asked Gali who loves fruits very much to choose the most beautiful she finds on the market, together we made a very festive Pavlova with sweet mascarpone cream and a collection of fresh berries. The combination of the textures of the meringue, the soft cream and the fruit that explodes in the mouth is great and the sweet taste of the meringue and the mascarpone cream is balanced by fruits with a delicate acidity.

This dessert is so festive that it is hard for me to imagine a holiday without it, of course the Pavlova can be prepared with other fruits like apricots, plums, cherries, exotic fruits, depending of course on the season and the fruits that are within reach. Perfect for Passover and for gluten intolerance.

Mascarpone cream and Berries Pavlova
6-8 servings

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Ingredients

Meringue:
120 g egg whites (around 4 medium eggs)
210 g white sugar
15 g cornflour
1 tsp lemon juice or white vinegar

Mascarpone cream:
200 g heavy whipping cream
140 g white chocolate, chopped
200 g Mascarpone cream

Berries: blueberries, red raspberries, blackberries, currants, cassis, strawberries (you can use any fruit you choose).

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 100 degrees C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Draw a 20-22-cm circle on the parchment paper.
2. Meringue: In a large bowl beat egg whites, sugar and cornflour until very stiff (around 10 minutes). Add lemon juice or vinegar and keep beating for 1 more minute.
3. Transfer the meringue to a pastry bag and pipe in the desired shape on the baking paper. I chose the shape of a large flower with another smaller flower on it and small socket in the center. In this case I used a simple round pastry tip.
4. Bake for about two hours (depending on the oven) until the meringue is completely dry. If the meringue is not dry, continue baking. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature.
5. Mascarpone cream: Heat the cream until simmering. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate in a bowl, wait a few seconds, then stir to make a smooth ganache. Refrigerate for about an hour. Combine the Mascarpone and chocolate ganache and mix. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Assembling
6. Remove the Mascarpone cream from the fridge, and whip until stiff peaks form.
7. Transfer the cream to a pastry bag and pipe in the desired shape. I decided to fill the center of the meringue, and then continued the shape of the flower with the cream.
8. Decorate with berries and serve.

Happy Passover and Bon-Appétit
Sharon