raspberries

Gluten Free Coconut Pavlovas with Lemon Curd and Raspberries

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In preparing for Easter lunch this coming weekend I wanted to make a dessert that was light and fresh and beautiful.  These coconut pavlovas with tart lemon curd and fresh raspberries will fit the bill perfectly.

coconutpavlova3A good friend made pavlovas for Easter a few years ago and they were not only delicious but beautiful.  When served individually, they’re an extra special dessert for your guests.  Pavlovas might sound fancy, but they are just baked meringue layers.  Topping them with lemon curd and berries makes them completely lovely.  You can use the recipe below for lemon curd, or buy lemon curd at your grocery store.  I love the combination of raspberries with the coconut and lemon, but blueberries, strawberries or blackberries would be nice.  And in fact, pineapple might be amazing…

You can make the lemon curd and the meringue a day in advance.  This will free you up on the day of your lunch or dinner to tend to everything else you have to do.  But this also means that if you’re bringing these somewhere you don’t have to worry about them in transit.  Bring everything in separate containers and assemble right before serving.  No balancing cake plates in your lap and getting mad at the driver for taking those corners too quickly!

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If you’re not a fan of coconut, then you can leave it out and make plain meringues.  You could also add nuts, pulsed well in a food processor, in place of the coconut to create a different flavor.  The coconut adds a texture you won’t find in a plain meringue, which I found to be really nice against the smooth and creamy lemon curd.

coconutpavlova2 Coconut Pavlovas | Hottie Biscotti

These are gluten free, not because I did anything to make them that way but because the ingredients are all gluten-free friendly.  It’s nice to serve something like this when serving a group that may contain some people who do not or cannot eat gluten.  Since it’s becoming more and more common, at least in my experience, to encounter those people, it’s great to have some recipes that don’t leave anyone out or make it hard for them to enjoy the meal.  Any gluten-free readers who see something wrong with the recipe below, please let me know so that I can correct it.  Enjoy!

Coconut Pavlovas with Lemon Curd and Raspberries

Lemon Curd from The Dessert Bible and Pavlovas adapted from A Passion for Desserts

Serves 6

Ingredients

Lemon Curd

  • 2 egg yolks (reserve the whites for the pavlovas)
  • 2 eggs
  • 6 tablespoons sugar
  • zest of 2 lemons
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup creme fraiche OR 1/4 cup whipping cream + 1 tablespoon buttermilk
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 9 chunks

Coconut Pavlovas

  • 3 egg whites
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • fresh raspberries for serving

 Directions

Lemon Curd

  1. Combine the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice in a medium sized saucepan.  Whisk together over medium low heat, whisking constantly until mixture begins to thicken.  Reduce heat to low and continue to cook and whisk until mixture reaches a pudding-like consistency.
  2. Remove from the heat and whisk in the creme fraiche or cream mixture all at once.  Add in the butter, 3 chunks at a time, and stir to almost melt them before adding the next few pieces.  Stir until all the butter is melted.
  3. Pour the lemon curd through a fine mesh sieve to remove any pieces of cooked egg.
  4. Let cool at room temperature for about an hour, then cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface so that a skin does not form, then refrigerate until cold or overnight.

Pavlovas

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  2. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Find a cup, bowl or glass that will serve at your guide for piping the meringue.  It should be small enough to fit 6 circles on the cookie sheet with enough space for them to spread a bit.  Trace the circle with a pencil on one side of the parchment, turn the parchment over on the cookie sheet and set it aside.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, or using a hand mixer, beat the egg whites and the vanilla on high speed until mixture is very foamy.
  4. Add the sugar in a steady stream, and continue to beat on high until mixture is very thick.
  5. Fold in the cornstarch, vinegar and coconut.
  6. Transfer meringue to a large ziploc bag, cut off one corner, and pipe circles onto the parchment paper.  With the back of a spoon smooth out the circles and make a crater in the center of each.
  7. Put pan into the oven, then reduce the oven temperature to 300°F and cook for 45 minutes.
  8. Remove from the sheet to a wire rack and cool completely.
  9. If not using right away, store in an airtight container.

Assemble the Pavlovas

  1. Divide the lemon curd evenly among the meringue circles.
  2. Place a few raspberries on top of the lemon curd, then sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.

 

Lemon Glazed French Toast

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This was first mother’s day breakfast.  Ben’s parents were here for Carson’s baby dedication, which was really special.  Kate showed me this recipe, and we decided to make it.  It was a good decision.

I’ve made another overnight French toast before, and it was much sweeter than this one, but not in a bad way…just different.  They’re different enough that I can’t choose which one I liked better.  The lemon adds a nice tartness to the slight sweetness of this one that doesn’t require any syrup, so the berries are a perfect accompaniment.  The other French toast is one that welcomes a generous pour of syrup and a side of crisp bacon.  Don’t ask me why sugar goes best with more sugar.  It just does.  Both are tasty and can be prepped the night before and baked in the morning.  I love that.

The recipe called for brioche, but my rather poor choice of buying groceries at Wal Mart meant that we had to use a loaf of French bread.  It is French toast though, and we found it to be a great bread to use in this recipe.  The brioche would probably have yielded a denser and more rich breakfast.

We served the French toast with fresh blueberries and raspberries.  The original recipe (found here) from the kitchn has a lovely sounding mixture for the berries of dry cava wine and mint, but we played it simple.  We also decided not to dust the French toast with powdered sugar because of the sweet lemon glaze.  It was plenty sweet for me, but serve some on the side if you have a sweet tooth.  Enjoy!

Lemon Glazed French Toast

(courtesy of thekitchn)

Ingredients

  • One 16 to 20-ounce loaf of French bread (brioche or challah)
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 3 cups 2% milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2 lemons, juiced
  • 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

Directions

  1. If planning to bake immediately, preheat the oven to 425éF. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray or butter.
  2. Slice the bread into 1/2-inch-thick slices, then cut each slice in half. Arrange half of the bread in overlapping layers in the baking dish.
  3. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl until well mixed, then whisk in the brown sugar. Whisk in the milk, vanilla, salt, and nutmeg. Pour half of the custard over the bread. Layer the rest of the bread on top, and pour the rest of the custard over to coat. (At this point the casserole can be covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.)
  4. When ready to bake, take the casserole out of the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes before baking. Heat the oven to 425°F. Bake the casserole for 30 minutes, or until slightly golden on top, and puffy.
  5. Whisk the lemon juice with the confectioners’ sugar and drizzle the glaze over the hot casserole.
  6. Let the casserole cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. Serve in large slices, with fresh berries on the side.

 

Pistachio Pavlovas with Lemon Curd and Raspberries

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These lovely desserts were the finale to our Easter meal this past weekend.  I did not make them and cannot take any credit for their deliciousness.  My friend Jackie found the recipe in Cooking Light and offered to bring them.  They were the perfect end to the meal. 

The meringues were light and crunchy, the lemon curd and raspberries were perfect partners; tart and sweet, and the pistachios added such a wonderful richness to the whole dessert.  To top it all off, they were beautiful.  This is an impressive looking dessert, and Jackie said that it wasn’t all that complicated or tedious.  She even let the meringues sit in the oven overnight and they were still perfect.

Making individual dessert can sometimes me a pain, but these are incredibly easy to assemble.  I will definitely be putting this recipe away to make another time.  Thanks, Jackie!

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Raspberry Buttermilk Cake, My Cute Nephew and My Crazy Husband

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The flavor of this cake was absolutely delicious, and slightly sweet.  The tartness of the raspberries is lovely.  The texture was wonderfully moist with a nice tender crumb.  I got this recipe from Smitten Kitchen.  I was disappointed that mine did not end up looking as beautiful as hers, but I am sure I will make this cake again, so we’ll see if I can improve on the appearance.  I followed her recipe and instructions completely except that I added a cap-full, about 1/4 teaspoon, of almond extract just because I love the flavor of almond.  I served this cake when my parents came through Amarillo after dinner.

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It was a light cake, perfect all by itself, no whipped cream needed.  I used turbinado sugar instead of white granulated sugar and loved the crunch it provided.  This cake is so easy to prepare and has simple ingredients most people have on hand.  The buttermilk is also non-essential since you can make your own buttermilk in 10 minutes with regular milk and some lemon juice or vinegar.

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