Meringue with a Compote of Warm Berries

Ever since I had a lovely Pavlova at a friend's barbeque in June, I've been itching to make my own. Although I realize that they are traditionally made with strawberries (as hers was) or kiwifruit, I was inspired to take a slightly different route by seeing Nigel Slater's version in The Observer magazine of June 12. He topped his traditional meringue and whipped cream with a warm compote of blackcurrants, blueberries and blackberries, and it looked and sounded tasty enough to be worth a try.

Alas, the combination of fruit that I chose- raspberries, blackcurrants and blackberries- was not particularly good. The raspberries, although perfectly sweet, fell apart almost immediately. The blackberries were quite good, but the blackcurrants were not, and added a sour note that dominated.

Other than that, it was fine. The meringue was fine. The whipped cream was (of course) fine. I just don't think  that I'll make this dessert again- I just found it to be  a really 'ho-hum' type of thing. Sometimes you make something, it flops and you think, "Hmmm...next time I'll do ____ and it will be perfect!". This wasn't one of those things for me, so it's onto the next thing.

Meringue with a Compote of Warm Berries
by Nigel Slater

Make the meringue first, let it cool, then fill it with whipped cream before adding the warm fruits at the last minute. Serves 8-10.

5 large EGG WHITES
300g UNREFINED GOLDEN CASTER SUGAR
1 teaspoon WHITE-WINE VINEGAR
1 teaspoon VANILLA EXTRACT
2 heaped teaspoons CORN FLOUR
400ml WHIPPING or DOUBLE CREAM

Set the oven at 180C/gas mark 4. Lightly oil a non-stick, loose-bottomed 20-21cm cake tin with almond or groundnut oil. Line with baking parchment.

Beat the egg whites until almost stiff, making sure there is no trace of egg yolk present, and they stand in shiny folds. Beat in the sugar in two or three lots. Scatter over the cornflour, vinegar and vanilla and fold it gently in with a large metal spoon. Don't over-mix.

Scoop the lot into the cake tin, smooth the top level and put straight into the oven. Immediately turn the heat down to 150C/gas mark 3. Leave the meringue to cook, without opening the door, for a full hour and 10 minutes. If the top gets brown, turn the heat down a little further. It should be a pale honey colour. Turn off the heat and let the meringue cool without opening the door. The marshmallow centre will sink and leave high, crisp sides.

Beat the cream in a cold stainless-steel bowl till it sits in soft folds. Pile in the fruit below in the centre of the meringue.

The Fruit Compote

300g BLACKCURRANTS, BLUEBERRIES or BLACKBERRIES, or a mixture
~2 tablespoons SUGAR, depending on the sweetness of your fruit

Check the fruit over, removing leaves or stems. Put it in a stainless-steel saucepan with the sugar and bring slowly to a boil. You shouldn't need water, but if the fruit looks as if it is starting to stick, add a tablespoon or two. When the fruit starts to burst, remove from the heat and allow to cool a little.

Comments

[Becks & Posh]

ho hum or not - it looks so good i think you should change the name of your blog to "Who want's thirds!"
I love pavlova. Bananas and raspberries or grapes or kiwis were our most common toppings in my teenage years. But I would do it differently these days.

Recently I had one in a restaurant with cherries almonds and nectarines. The topping was sublime but the meringue was too hard.

You should check out Jam Faced's suggestion for Eton Mess (deconstructed pavlova as far as I can tell)

http://jamfaced.blogspot.com/2005/07/food-for-when-bombs-go-off.html

xxx

[Stephanie]

I know how you feel, Moira. Normally, if something doesn't work out, I'm determined to 'fix' it until it's perfect. But every so often I'll run into a recipe that I'll decide isn't worth a second look. I think it's good that we can recognize these things, or we might end up like domestic mad scientists!

[Moira]

Hi Sam...thanks! The topping on the one you had recently sounds much tastier than this one, but the hard meringue must have been such a disappointment! Thanks for the link to the Eton Mess...I'll head right over to check it out.

Hi Stephanie...I agree 100%! I am glad I tried this, but in the end it just wasn't for me. There are plenty of desserts I love already, and so many more to try- I'm not going to feel bad about this one.

[AugustusGloop]

I'll have it! =) I still think it looks great and sounds tasty. Sometimes the tartness helps balance out the sweetness of the meringue.

But yeah, I usually stick to the usual kiwifruit, strawberries and passionfruit pulp. I also love tinned sliced peaches on it too. Yes, tinned. I love their smoothness!

[santos.]

i find liberal doses of alcohol usually helps a dessert. in you or the dessert-- your choice.

[anthony]

Yes. Passionfruit was the choice pavalova topping of my youth. The lack of kiwifruit was probably due to the fact it wasn't available tinned. And now I've just had an unpleasant memory of SPC tinned strawberries. As a rule, Australian food tradition should be approached with the same care as medical traditions, a paean to progress.

[insert laboured gag about pavlovian reflex at later date]

[Reid]

Hi Moi,

I've never had pavlova. In fact, I didn't know what it was until Anthony did a post about it a few months back. It always seems to look fresh no matter what type of fruits you use. I wouldn't mind tart, so I think the blackberries would suit me just fine.

[Moira]

Hi AG...I thought that as well, until I had a couple of bites and just couldn't get by the flavour of the blackcurrants. Blech. I love tinned peaches, by the way!

Hi Santos...mmmmm, booze. That's probably why trifle will always be a favourite. Well, that and the custard...mmmmm.

Hi Anthony...I'm waiting, not so patiently, for you to insert the laboured pavlovian reflex gag. You don't get out of this one, Manly Spice.

Hi Reid...you're so right- it is fresh and simple, it just didn't blow my skirt up, you know? Maybe if it had chocolate sauce on top. I'm just kidding (well sort of anyway)!

[Giao]

Moira, it's a gorgeous meringue anyway. Even if the berries were less than stellar (I personally find blackcurrants a bit troubling...I find them in so many flavorings in treats there in the UK, blecch and why?!). Eh, it's gorgeous to behold. And that's mostly all we can do as your blog following. =)

[dawn]

The meringue looks so good. I've never tried Pavlova, but your pic (berries & all) is making it quite tempting.

[ejm]

hohum??? Goodness how sad, Moira. And yours looks wonderful too. I adore pavlova but haven't had it in years. We used to treat ourselves occasionally at a restaurant in Stratford, Ontario (The Church) where they served the most wonderful pavlova. As I recall, there were fresh strawberries, kiwi fruit and peaches. And was the meringue laid down on a bed of lemon curd?? How on earth could I have forgotten? It was so so good.

Maybe you just need a different recipe? (I know what you mean though, if you didn't really think much of this one and there are so many other good things out there to try, why waste time on one that you think won't work?)

-Elizabeth

P.S. Oh Anthony, tinned strawberries? Well, no wonder....

[Beau]

Moira, Sorry to intrude in you comments section, but I can't seem to find an email link on your blog...

I publish the Basic Juice Wine & Food Blog (http://basicjuice.blogs.com). I’ve met a number of interesting people through Basic Juice. I’m now working on another, larger idea – a global group
blog of food, wine, music, art, and culture. It’s called jZepp (jzepp.com). The grand idea is to bring together people from all over the world through topics that many of us enjoy.
Currently, I’m searching for contributors.

Would you be interested in contributing one photo/recipe every 2-3 weeks or so to this blog? You can, of course, cross-post the contribution with your existing blog.

If you’re interested in art, photography, food, wine, music, and culture, this global group blog will be a great way to meet hundreds of people from every corner of the earth.

jZepp posts will be published in both English and the native language of the contributor (e.g. Spanish). My goal is to make it accessible to almost anyone, anywhere. I’m looking forward to hearing from you. I hope you decide to join up! We’ve just started up this week.

Cheers,

Beau Jarvis
Basic Juice

[Moira]

Hello Miss Giao...I will give blackcurrants another chance, but I have the feeling that I'll come to the same conclusion that you did....blecch. Thanks for your lovely compliments, sweetie!

Hi Dawn...thank you, but I'd take one of your Italian family desserts anyday!

Hi Elizabeth...now THAT pavlova sounds a treat! Aside from the blackcurrants in this one, I think it's just me...onwards and upwards I say!

[Bakerina]

My word.

Let's see: Love Pavlova? Check.

Love berries? Check.

Love Nigel Slater? Check and double check. :)

Love you and trust your palate instinctively? Oh, mais oui.

I can't wait to try this. Unfortunately, it will have to wait until tomorrow afternoon at earliest.

[Moira]

Ha! YOU will try this and it will be divine, I'm sure. It's the blackcurrants; from now on, I'm officially blaming them for my dislike of this dessert. 'Cuz I definitely like the traditional kind. Oh, forget it- I'm going to drown my Pavlova sorrows in chocolate & peanut butter pie...it's the only solution. =)

[ejm]

Or you could sorrow drown by making Patricia Wells' apricot tart from her book "At Home in Provence". We just tried it for the first time the other night and even though the apricots were decidedly disappointing (I think they must have been from the same fruit stand as your blackcurrants) the pie was still fantastic. Next time we make it, we're going to use plums or peaches.

-Elizabeth

[anthony]

Still thinking

[Monkey Gland]

Glad to see you checked out the Eton Mess! It's great one because you don't have to get anything perfect!

[Moira]

Hi Elizabeth...oooh, I'll have to check that out!

Hi Anthony...yeah, I thought I smelled something.

Hi MK...yes, I liked your mess just fine! If I ever venture into Pavlova-ish waters again, that will be my destination for sure.