Waitangi Day ~ Mini Pavlovas with Kiwi Fruit

Australia isn’t the only country Down Under with a holiday this season. (See my last Australia Day post.) New Zealand also has a national holiday today called Waitangi Day! The occasion inspired me to learn more about the beautiful country of New Zealand, and to celebrate New Zealand’s culture in my own small way.

As usual, celebrating my way begins in the kitchen! I made another batch of mini Pavlovas for the special day. 🙂 No one really knows if the first Pavlova was made in Australia or New Zealand, so I thought I’d give both countries recognition. (And if I’m perfectly honest, it just gave me an excuse to make another batch of this dreamy dessert! 😉 ) I topped these New Zealand Pavlovas with sliced kiwi fruit.

Mini Pavlovas with Kiwi Fruit

For the meringue:

4 egg whites, room temperature

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

Pinch of salt

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the finishing touches:

Approximately 1 cup heavy whipping cream

Approximately 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

2 kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced

For the meringue:

Preheat oven to 225 F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Wipe the bowl and whisk attachment of a stand mixer with vinegar to ensure it is free of any oil.

Add the egg whites and cream of tartar to the bowl of the stand mixer, and whisk until they begin to look frothy. Very slowly sprinkle in the sugar while continuing to whisk. The mixture will become thick and glossy with stiff peaks. Rub a small amount of the mixture between your fingers, and if it is smooth with no sugar granules remaining, you are there. At this point, add the salt, cornstarch, and vanilla, and whisk until just combined.

Transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip.

On the prepared baking sheets, pipe the mixture into small rounds, leaving a small indentation in the middle of each meringue.

Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Then turn off the oven, but leave the meringues in the oven for another 30 minutes. Let cool completely.

For the finishing touches:

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream and sugar until soft peaks form. (You want to whip it slightly less than you would like your finished product to be, since piping the cream will continue to stiffen it.) Transfer the whipped cream to a piping bag fitted with the same star tip used for the meringues.

Pipe a little whipped cream over the top of each meringue, and finish with a few pieces of sliced kiwi on top.