Hello.
Since I last wrote (really wrote) (uh, last year!), a lothas happened. There was Thanksgiving, then Hanukkah, and then Christmas. Ibrined a turkey. I ate latkas. I braised veal. I whipped some cream to top a cloud-like pavlova that I haven’tstopped thinking about since.
It was cold, and then it waswarm, and then it was cold again. There was New Years: I made gnocchi withbrowned butter and sage, and devoured salad with sautéed dates among goodfriends. I bought new (big) eyeglasses and, as a result, find myself looking ata stranger in the mirror.
My essay in O the Oprah Magazine was published(check it out!). I spoke with Christopher Kimball on America’s Test Kitchen Radio (podcasts are on iTunes!). I realized that the book I’m editing for thatsame company has a rapidly approaching deadline. (BTW, it’s a great book, acookbook, on shelves this fall. I’ll tell you all about it soon.) But despitethis impending due date, I first sought out and then accepted even more freelancedeadlines, which I continue to struggle to meet (oy!).
This is all to say that overthe last two months, I first felt energized. And then I felt tired. And then Ifelt sick.
A month or so ago, I camedown with shingles. Yes. Shingles. Let me tell you, this is not an illness Irecommend. But being sick did give me the excuse to watch 6 episodes of Downton Abbey in one go. Just as soon as I began to feel better, however, I caught awinter cold. A bad cold. One that fogged my head, stopped me up, reminded me yetagain what it is like not to be able to smell. It seemed impossible that myimmune system could be as nonchalant as to let anything else attack my body.But then this week I had the flu. The flu! It was only a 24-hour bug. But rightnow? I feel drained.
So. I’m here. And I’m goingto try and stay here. I can’t make any promises. But I miss words. I miss my words. I miss that magic of sittingdown and letting them come, of arranging them and rearranging them, of coaxingthem to become what I want.
At least there’s alwayspavolva. Right?
This fall, the Culinary Guild of New England read my book in their book club, and I had the honor ofattending the meeting. This particular gathering was the best of its kind: Adessert potluck. And while everything I ate there was well done, there was onedish that stuck with me. A chocolate pavolva. It was crisp yet pillowy, thesweet countered by a cloud of unsweetened whipped cream and a mound of freshraspberries piled on top. I asked for the recipe, and was pointed to Nigella Lawson.
I thought about this pavolvafor a good three months before I attempted to make my own. I mean, meringue canbe finicky, and raspberries aren’t really in season. But then I did, on Christmas Day.And it was good.
Chocolate Raspberry Pavlova
via Nigella Lawson
Meringue can be intimidating, I know. The key is tomake sure that you whip the egg whites to the desired consistency (stiff andshiny). The sugar, which you add slowly to the mix after the egg whites aresatiny and smooth, delays and then stabilizes the egg foam, helping themeringue hold its shape as it bakes. The addition of balsamic vinegar (an acid)helps the egg proteins to thicken at a lower temperature, with a more tenderresult.
It’s important to cook the meringue slowly. After itbakes at 300 degrees for a bit over an hour, don’t remove the meringue from theoven. Instead, turn down the heat, crack the door a smidge, and let it situntil completely cool. This slow, gentle cooking helps the meringue to remainpillowy and intact. (But don’t worry if it falls in the center after baking.Mine did. The beauty of this dessert is that 1. you invert the meringue so thatthe smooth bottom becomes the top and 2. the whipped cream hides allimperfections anyway.)
Ifyou don’t have access to superfine sugar (I didn’t) it’s easy to make: Justwhirl regular granulated sugar in the food processor for a bit.
6 large egg whites
2 cups superfine sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetenedcocoa powder, sifted
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
2 ounces dark chocolate,finely chopped
2 cups heavy cream
4 cups raspberries
1 ounce dark chocolate
Preheat the oven to 350degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Nigella suggests outliningthe shape of your 9-inch cake tin on the parchment paper in pencil, and then flippingover the paper so that when you place the raw meringue on the sheet, it won’ttouch the pencil. She’s a smart lady.
Beat the egg whites in yourstanding mixer until soft peaks begin to form. Then, begin adding the sugar ina slow stream, beating the eggs until they are stiff and shiny.
Now add the cocoa, vinegar,and chopped chocolate to the egg whites. Mix gently, but thoroughly, with arubber spatula.
To bake the meringue: dab abit of meringue on the underside the parchment paper on the baking sheet tosecure it in place. Then, pile the meringue batter within the outlined 9-inchcircle in the center of the parchment. Use your spatula to smooth and round.
As soon as you place themeringue in the oven, turn the heat down to 300 degrees. Cook for 1 to 1 ¼hours. The meringue is finished when it looks crisp and dry on top, but is still“squidgy,” says Nigella, when you prod it with your fingers.
Don’t remove the meringuefrom the oven. Instead, turn off the heat, and open the door a tiny bit. Letcool completely, at least an hour or two. (The woman who made this pavlova atthe book club I attended said that she left it in the oven overnight. Just,FYI.) When ready to serve, invert the baked meringue onto a large plate andpeel off the parchment.
Now, beat the cream in yourstanding mixer gently until it is thick and cloud-like but still soft. Pile iton top of the meringue. Scatter the raspberries on top. And then grate theremaining 1-ounce chocolate (a vegetable peeler works well, too) on top ofthe raspberries. Done!
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