Fix Me A Snack

Here we have a chocolate meringue with fresh whipped cream and crushed strawberries – a mini pavlova. 

As I was preparing the meringues, my husband was kind enough to tell me they look like pertrified dog poop. So I guess this snack doesn’t score a 10 for presentation, but the kids didn’t seem bothered in the least.

This recipe is substantially lower in sugar than any other pavlova recipe I’ve seen.  It’s a relatively light snack all around, except for the whipped cream. But you can’t not have the whipped cream.

 For the meringue:

3 egg whites
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 ounce dark chocolate, chopped very fine

For the whipped cream:

1/2 cup heavy cream
1-2 tablespoons sugar

For the strawberries:

6 frozen strawberries (about 1/3 cup), thawed
1/2 teaspoon sugar

Preheat oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a standing electric mixer, whip the egg whites, sugar, cocoa powder, and vinegar on medium-high speed until semi-stiff peaks form. Gently fold in the chocolate pieces with a rubber spatula. Spoon the meringue mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet about a 1/3 cup at a time. Create a heart shape, if desired.

Bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until outer shell has formed and the meringues are not terribly difficult to remove from the parchment. Allow to cool on the pan.

Meanwhile, make your whipped cream by pouring the heavy cream and sugar into a bowl and beating it with an electric mixer until peaks form. If it’s an especially hot day, put the bowl in the freezer for a while before you begin. Store the whipped cream an airtight container in the refrigerator until the meringues are ready.

Meanwhile, drain any excess liquid off the strawberries. Crush the berries and sugar in a small bowl with a fork until they are broken down. Cover and keep at room temperature until the meringues are ready.

To assemble simply place a dollop of whipped cream on top of each meringue and top with 1-2 teaspoons of crushed strawberries. Serve immediately.

Yield: 10 mini heart-shaped pavlovas
Prep-time: 20 minutes
Bake time: 1 1/2 hours

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If you don’t have champagne vinegar, try replacing it with fresh squeezed lemon juice. I’m in love with the sauce just the way it is though.

1 cup frozen organic unsweetened strawberries, thawed
1 teaspoon champagne vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
4 ripe organic peaches, pitted and sliced
Whipped cream (optional)

In a blender, puree strawberries, vinegar, and sugar until smooth. Set aside. Divide the peach slices between four small bowls. Top with 2-3 tablespoons of the the strawberry puree. Add a dollop of whipped cream if desired. Serve.

Makes 3-4 servings.
Prep time: 10 minutes

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I had to swoop in at the last minute and shove the camera in front of the bowl so I could even get a photo of this. ‘nuf said.

1 pint fresh organic strawberries
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream

Wash, hull and slice berries. In a small bowl, pour sugar over berries and toss gently to coat. Add cream and toss gently again. Serve in bowls.

Makes two servings.

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Finally, summer has offically arrived at our house and we are all busy eating our body weight in fresh native strawberries. Having a blog about healthy snacks is the best excuse ever to make my kids labor in the pick-your-own strawberry patch at least once a week.

A handful of fresh organic strawberries
A couple splashes of aged balsamic vinegar (approximately 1/2 teaspoon)

Wash and hull strawberries. Place in serving bowl or on a plate. Pour vinegar over berries. Serve.

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