Pavlova

I've wanted to make this recipe for a long time just because I think it sounds cool to say "I had Pavlova for dessert tonight." Apparently it is some type of New Zealand recipe named after a famous ballerina.  So tonight I made it.  This dessert is really so simple and easy.  While the kids loved the dessert, it probably wasn't my most favorite dessert dish, but really good and definetly worth making at least once in your life.  The original recipe I got from allrecipes.com, but I made a few changes after reading several other Pavlova recipes.

4 egg whites

• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 pint fresh strawberries

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (150 degrees C). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Draw a 9 inch circle on the parchment. An easy way to do this is to draw around the outside of a 9 inch pan with a pencil.
2. In a large bowl, beat egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form. Add 3/4 cup of the sugar gradually, while continuing to whip. Make sure sugar is completely dissolved. Mix together the remaining 1/4 cup sugar with the cornstarch; lightly fold into meringue with white vinegar and vanilla.
3. Spread a layer of meringue to fit circle on parchment, approximately 1/4 inch thick. With remainder of mixture, pipe or spoon swirls around the edges to form a shallow bowl shape.
4. Bake at 250 degrees F (150 degrees C) for 1 hour. Turn off oven, but leave meringue in oven for an additional 30 minutes. When cool, the meringue should be hard on the outside, and slightly moist on the inside.
5. In a large bowl, combine the cream and half a cup of confectioners sugar, and whip until thickened. Decorate with fruit of your choice; strawberries are excellent.