Easy New Zealand Pavlova

I'm back!!!! Which means, yep, it's break time again. But this time, it's not just another break between terms. It's the end of freshman year. 

Oh how quickly this year at Dartmouth has gone by! I knew the time would fly, but sitting here on my bed at home, thinking I don't want to go back to the college bed, it really feels like it was only a few weeks ago when I arrived on the Green, a slightly nervous, but excited frosh.

    

The last three terms at college have truly been incredible. While people tend to hope that friends stay the same even after they go to college, I think that change can be good, and I would say that I've changed. First off, I don't care as much anymore. I guess that can be both good and bad, but let's just put it on the good list for now. I have more dreams, but also more doubts. Sometimes, I still think to myself "why am I learning this useless crap?" I'm a little smarter, at least in Chinese and economics (my knowledge of physics has definitely degraded), and I am more willing to take big leaps of faith. Looking back on the last year, I've had many triumphs, and well, not-so-triumphant moments. Small achievements like doing the polar bear dive, i.e. jumping into a hole cut in a frozen pond, finding the perfect salad mix at Collis, and completing the Lou's challenge during Green Key are the things I will remember for the rest of my life. I've developed many great relationships, including my relationship with 1902 (the 24/7 study room in the library). We haven't had "the talk" yet, but we're pretty much exclusive. Oh, and I guess my friends are pretty awesome too.

It's funny, because this break, which is supposed to be my longest, will actually be my shortest. Tomorrow, I'm leaving, after only having stayed two days at home, for Beijing, where I will be studying abroad at Beijing Normal University with 23 other students from Dartmouth over the summer. It's been seven years since I last went to China, so I'm eager to go back and see how it's changed. I've actually started up a new blog just for this trip, so please follow http://eatingchina.wordpress.com/ to get a taste (literally! But not actually…sorry) of my experience as a foreign exchange student in China!

I decided to share a recipe for Pavlova, a New Zealand (not Australian, although the Aussies will tell you otherwise) dessert that is perfect for the summertime. The light meringue cake base, topped with whipped cream and fresh fruit is a beautiful sight and would be a welcoming addition to any summer BBQ!

Ingredients

4 egg whites

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 cup white sugar

1 tbsp cornstarch

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 pint heavy cream

¼ cup confectioner’s sugar

fresh fruit (I used kiwifruit, strawberries, and blueberries)

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, sprinkle cream of tartar over egg whites and beat with an electric beater until stiff.

3. Whisk together the sugar and cornstarch. Slowly add the mixture to the egg whites in batches, while beating on medium speed, until all is combined. The meringue should be shiny, white, and stiff. Gently fold in the vanilla extract.

4. Spoon mixture on the baking tray and smooth into an 8-inch dome.

5. Bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven and cool completely.

6. In a small bowl, beat heavy cream and confectioner’s sugar until stiff peaks form. Spoon whipped
cream over meringue, and top with fruit.