‘Your plate is where tradition meets innovation’
I was given some beautiful Sumac from the Rye Library Spice Club, sourced from Serafina. I adapted this recipe from the middle eastern inspired book, Eating Out Loud. I’m a big fan of middle eastern spicing and love using sumac for its combination of earthiness and lemony characteristics. It goes well with savoury and sweet dishes, counteracting the richness.
I liked the idea of using this in a sweet dish. The combination of crunch from the pavlova, lightness from the coconut whipped cream and tart addition of the sumac-strawberries. I also love the contrast in colours, with the summer strawberries creating a bright and violent contrast. To add a temperature contrast or save time you may want to use coconut sorbet in lieu of the coconut whipped cream, homemade or Sharons coconut sorbet is lovely and light.
Ingredients:
Pavlovas
- 5 large egg whites
- Pinch of kosher salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp. cornstarch
- 1 tsp. distilled white vinegar
Sumac Strawberries
- 3 cups thinly sliced strawberries
- 2 tbsp. maple syrup
- Grated zest 1 lemon
- Juice ½ lemon
- 1 tsp. sumac, plus more for serving
Coconut whipped cream
- 2 cups full fat coconut cream
- Grated zest of 1 lemon
- Seeds from 1 vanilla bean
Method
- Start by making the pavlovas. Preheat over to 250F. line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper
- In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or large bowl and handheld mixer/whisk), whip the egg whites and salt on high speed until the egg white begins to look fluffy, c. 5 minutes. with the mixer still running begin adding the sugar 1-2 tbsp. at a time. Once all the sugar is added, continue mixing until the mixture is thick and glossy, 5-10 minutes. add the vanilla and mix until just combined. Reduce the speed to low, sprinkle in the cornstarch and vinegar, and mix for just a few seconds to combine
- Using a silicone spatula or a metal offset spatula, place 10 roughly even dollops of the meringue on the prepared baking sheet. Spread them out slightly, so they’re about 3 inches in diameter, leaving a slight dip in the middle to hold the fruit and cream
- Place the baking sheet in the oven and immediately reduce the heat to 225F. bake for 1 hour, the meringue should be barely crisp on the outside and still soft on the inside. Turn off the oven and leave the pavlovas inside until completely cooled, at least 2 hours.
- To make the sumac strawberries, in a medium bowl, combine the strawberries, syrup, lemon zest, lemon juice and sumac. Mix to coat and let macerate in the fridge for at least 30 mins
- To make the vanilla whipped cream, in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the cream on high until thick. Add the lemon zest and vanilla and continue whipping until soft peaks are formed
- Fill each meringue with ¼ cup whipped coconut cream followed by 3 tbsp. of the macerated strawberries. Sprinkle with a pinch of sumac and serve.
