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Carl Davaz

Pavlova is an impressive dessert to make that's so easy, a 10-year-old could make it alone. To be precise, two 10-year-olds could make it by themselves, which they did.

Invented in either Australia or New Zealand (depending on whom you ask) to honor the famous Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, the Pavlova was usually topped with tropical passion fruit. That fruit isn't as available here, so use your favorite seasonal fruit. Frozen fruit works, too, as do pomegranate seeds, caramelized bananas or chocolate sauce.

The middle layer is usually whipped cream, but feel free to play around here. I like a mixture of stirred lemon curd folded into softly whipped cream. A few tablespoons of orange marmalade would do, as would any other high-quality jam or preserve. Cream or sorbet with your favorite topping is very nice in little individual meringue nests.

This recipe is easy to double or even triple, if you have a mixer with a large enough bowl to make a 12 egg-white meringue.

If there's a drawback to this recipe, it's that you end up with leftover egg yolks. They can be used to bind meatballs or meatloaf; make ice cream, custard or flan; make lemon curd; or make hollandaise sauce. Covered with a layer of water, they'll keep in the refrigerator tightly covered for a few days.

One of the best features of this dessert, aside from its taste, is that it can be served immediately after topping the meringue, or it can be made ahead. The meringue can be made a week ahead, wrapped airtight and kept at room temperature. A completed Pavlova will keep, again wrapped airtight, in the refrigerator for days, if you can keep people away from it.

Pavlova

Serves 6 to 8.

• 4 egg whites
• Pinch salt
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Trace an 8-inch circle on the paper.

Whip egg whites and salt to soft peaks. Very, very slowly dribble in the sugar, about a tablespoon at a time. Whip to shiny stiff peaks.

Sprinkle the cornstarch, vinegar and vanilla over the meringue. Fold in gently. Spoon into circle on baking sheet. Using a spatula, smooth top and sides. Put in oven and immediately reduce heat to 300 degrees. Bake about 1 hour or until it begins to turn a deep ivory verging on beige and develop cracks. Cool on a rack or leave in the oven to cool with the door open.

The meringue may be made ahead and wrapped airtight until using.

Filling

• 2/3 cup lemon curd
• 1/2 pint whipping cream
• 1/2 pint fruit

Put the lemon curd in a large bowl and stir to loosen it. Whip the cream to soft peaks. Gently stir about 1/3 of the whipped cream into the curd. Fold in the remaining whipped cream.

To make the Pavlova, invert meringue onto a serving plate. Peel off parchment paper. Make an even layer of the filling on the meringue. Top with berries.

Adapted from "Feast" by Nigella Lawson.

Variations: Make smaller disks for individual Pavlovas. Bake about 45 minutes, depending on the size, or until beginning to color and crack.

Lemon Curd

I most often use jarred lemon curd for Pavlova, but here's a recipe that uses the amount of leftover egg yolks from the Pavlova.

• 4 large egg yolks
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (about 1 big lemon)
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about 1 1/2 lemons)
• 3 tablespoons cold butter

Combine the yolks, sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly, over low heat until thickened. (A heatproof spatula is good to use.) Don't let the mixture boil. Reduce heat to very low and stir in butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Add the next piece of butter when the previous one is almost completely melted.

Pour into a small bowl and press waxed paper or plastic wrap against the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for up to a week.

Recipe adapted from "The Good Egg" by Marie Simmons.

Kim Davaz of Eugene writes the biweekly Eating In column.

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