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Christmas Meringue Wreath with Cranberry Curd

Ingredients
 

PAVLOVA:

  • 6 large egg whites, room temperature
  • Pinch of salt, about 1/8 teaspoon
  • 2 cups baker’s sugar, aka extra fine sugar
  • 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar, lemon juice or white vinegar can also be used
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

SUGARED ROSEMARY AND CRANBERRIES:

  • ½ Cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 cup fresh cranberries
  • Fresh rosemary sprigs
  • 1 cup granulated, cane or sparkling sugar for coating

CRANBERRY CURD:

  • 12 oz fresh cranberries, frozen can work as well
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 3 egg yolks, room temperature
  • 1 whole egg, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into small cubes
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Fresh orange zest; optional

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
  • Trace a 10-inch-diameter circle on a piece of parchment paper with a pencil and place the parchment onto a baking sheet, traced-side down. This will be your template to follow for your wreath.
  • Whisk egg whites with a pinch of salt on medium-high speed in a stand mixer (or hand mixer) until soft peaks form.
  • Gradually add 1 1/2 cups sugar, beating until stiff peaks form and the sugar has dissolved when you run the mixture between two fingers.
  • Beat in vinegar, cornstarch, and vanilla.
  • Transfer mixture to a large piping bag fitted with a large plain tip and pipe evenly spaced mounds (roughly 2 inches in diameter and 2 inches high) onto the parchment with the pre-traced circle.
  • With the back of a spoon, create a hollow in each mound to create a space to be filled once it’s baked.
  • Bake until ring easily lifts off parchment, about 1 hour, 10 minutes. Turn off heat; let stand in oven for about 1 hour with the oven door cracked open.
  • Once it is cooled, spoon a dollop of the cranberry curd and fresh whipped cream
  • Garnish with sugared cranberries and sugared rosemary and/or unsugared cranberries and rosemary

SUGARED ROSEMARY AND CRANBERRIES:

  • Place ½ cup granulated sugar and ½ cup water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.
  • Cook while stirring until sugar dissolves and mixture begins to boil.
  • Remove from heat and add a handful of cranberries (about 1/2 cup).
  • Allow berries to sit for 4-5 minutes in the sugar water mixture.
  • Using a slotted spoon, remove cranberries from the saucepan and place them on a baking rack or parchment paper for about 10 minutes.
  • Repeat with additional cranberries.
  • Repeat with the rosemary sprigs.
  • Place 1 heaping cup of granulated sugar or sparkling sugar in a small bowl.
  • Add a few cranberries at a time and use fingers or a small spoon to gently roll in the sugar to coat completely.
  • Place on a clean baking rack to dry.
  • Repeat with remaining cranberries and rosemary sprigs.
  • Allow them to dry at room temperature for one hour.

CRANBERRY CURD:

  • Combine the cranberries and water in a small saucepan over medium heat
  • Cook until the cranberries pop and the liquid bubbles
  • Use a spatula to smash and break up the berries
  • Once the berries have all popped, remove from heat
  • Press the cranberries through a strainer into another bowl
  • Be sure to scrape all of the puree on the underside of the strainer into the bowl as well
  • Pour the cranberry puree back into the saucepan and set aside for a moment
  • Whisk the egg yolks and egg together until combined
  • While whisking, pour in the sugars and whisk until lighter in color
  • Whisk a small amount of the cranberry puree into the egg mixture to temper the eggs
  • Add the egg mixture to the cranberry puree in the saucepan, and continue whisking until well incorporated
  • Place over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and can coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 8-10 minutes
  • Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the butter, one tablespoon at a time.
  • Strain, again, into a bowl to remove any lumps that may have been created
  • Cover surface with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour or pour into glass jars and allow to cool, then refrigerate
Author: admin
Course: Dessert