LUCY BURDETTE: Today it's my pleasure to host cozy foodie mystery writer Amy Pershing, with her new book, MURDER IS NO PICNIC. She'll be giving away a copy of her book so be sure to leave a comment!
AMY PERSHING: Okay, sorry, I couldn’t resist. But really, what’s not to love about a pavlova, especially the classic strawberry pavlova? I mean, meringue topped with whipped cream topped with strawberries. That pretty much checks all the boxes. Plus, it looks so festive! And it is remarkably do-ahead. Make the meringue the night before. The berry topping can be made up to two hours before you need it, as can the whipped cream. (Tip:Whipped cream will stay absolutely fine in the fridge for hours.)
Also, June is pick-your-own strawberry season, so you need all the strawberry recipes you can get, amiright?
Ingredients
For the meringue:
4 egg whites (brought to room temperature)
Pinch of salt
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon white-wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
For the topping:
1 pound strawberries, hulled and quartered (or 1 ½ pounds if you LOVE strawberries)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
4 teaspoons sugar
2 cups heavy cream
Directions:
For the meringue: Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and trace a circle around an 8- or 9-inch cake pan and then flip the paper over (don’t worry, you’ll still be able to see the outline).
In a bowl combine the egg whites and salt. Start beating at a low speed, then gradually increase the speed to high. Beat until satiny peaks begin to form, then beat in the sugar a tablespoon at a time until the meringue is stiff and shiny. Sprinkle with the cornstarch, vinegar and vanilla, and fold them in gently. Using a spatula, fill in your circle on the parchment.
Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 90 minutes. Turn off the heat, and let the meringue cool completely in the oven. Peel the meringue off the parchment and put it on a pretty plate or cake stand.
For the topping: Combine the strawberries, vanilla, balsamic vinegar and sugar in a bowl and let them sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes and up to 2 hours. Gently tap the top of the meringue with the back of a soup spoon to make a kind of flat nest for the whipped cream and berries. Whip the cream until it is thick enough to hold peaks, then use a spatula spread it thickly on top of the meringue. Top with the strawberries and serve!
To be entered in the drawing, leave a comment about your favorite strawberry recipe!
ABOUT MURDER IS NO PICNIC: When a celebrity chef is found dead, Samantha Barnes, the "Cape Cod Foodie," finds her search for the world's best blueberry buckle turning into a search for a killer.
The Fourth of July is coming, and for professional foodie Samantha Barnes, it’s all about the picnic. Okay, and the fireworks. And the parade. But mostly the picnic. What could be better than a DIY clambake followed by the best blueberry buckle in the world? Sam has finally found the perfect recipe in the kitchen of Clara Foster, famed cookbook author and retired restaurateur, and she’s thrilled when Clara agrees to a buckle baking lesson.
But when Clara dies in a house fire blamed on carelessness in the kitchen, Sam doesn’t believe it. Unfortunately, her doubts set in motion an investigation pointing to the new owner of Clara’s legendary restaurant—and a cousin of Sam’s harbormaster boyfriend. So, in between researching the Cape’s best lobster rolls and planning her clambake, Sam needs to find Clara's killer before the fireworks really start...
ABOUT AMY: Amy Pershing, who spent every summer of her childhood on Cape Cod, was an editor, a restaurant reviewer and a journalist before writing the Cape Cod Foodie mysteries, including A Side of Murder -- which Elizabeth Gilbert called “the freshest, funniest mystery I have ever read” -- and An Eggnog to Die For -- which Kirkus Reviews gave a starred review, saying, "A delightful sleuth, a complex mystery, and lovingly described cuisine: a winner for both foodies and mystery mavens." The third book in the series, Murder Is No Picnic, also received a starred review from Kirkus, which wrote: “A clever, empathetic and totally believable heroine sets this fine cozy above the competition.”
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A fellow graduate student from Australia introduced me to pavlova and another graduate student introduced me to strawberry pie. No doubt, though, my favorite strawberry recipe is strawberry shortcake.
ReplyDeleteThat was my mother's favorite, too!
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ReplyDeleteI've never tried a Pavlov, but I can't wait to! My favorite is Strawberry Pie with whipped cream 🍓🍰♥️
ReplyDeleteI love, love, love strawberry pie!
DeleteStrawberry picking season is in December in Florida but I'll forward your recipe to my daughter in MA where strawberry season is going strong right now
ReplyDeleteGreat idea!
DeleteMy favorite strawberry recipe is my mom's strawberry layer cake. It's delicious and brings back wonderful memories.
ReplyDeleteOur moms gave us such wonderful memories!
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ReplyDeleteWe have strawberry plants and have really been enjoying them this year. Loved the homemade strawberry ice cream. :)
ReplyDeleteAlso love this -
Strawberries and Cream Magic Bars
Ingredients
9 graham cracker sheets (approximately 5.4 oz worth), crushed
6 TBSPs of unsalted butter, melted
2 TBSPs granulated sugar
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 cup quartered fresh strawberries, pureed
4 oz room temperature cream cheese
1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh strawberries
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 by 13 inch pan with cooking spray and set aside.
In a large bowl, mix together the graham crackers, the 6 TBSPs of butter (melted) and the 2 TBSPs of sugar. Press into the bottom of the pan.
In a different bowl, mix together 1 1/4 cup flour, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp baking powder, set aside.
Beat together 3/4 cup of granulated sugar and 1/2 cup unsalted butter until creamy, about two minutes. Add in the egg and then the vanilla until just combined. Slowly add in the flour mixture until it is fully combined.
Very carefully spread the cookie dough mixture on top of the graham cracker crust. The easiest way to do this is to take small amounts, flatten it in your hands, and set it on the crust. You may not be able to entirely cover the graham cracker crust, that's okay.
Beat together the cream cheese and the 1/2 cup pureed strawberries. Spread evenly over the cookie dough.
Evenly spread the 1/2 cup sliced strawberries over the cream cheese layer. Top with the white chocolate chips and then evenly cover with the sweetened condensed milk.
Bake for 30 minutes. Refrigerate overnight before slicing. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
2clowns at arkansas dot net
Thanks, Kay! Now I have the perfect Father's Day recipe for my husband!
DeleteWelcome, Amy! Our strawberries are late this year -- a late cool spring -- but when they come on, I will know exactly what to do with them!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Leslie! Ours are a little late this year, too. I can't wait to get out to our local farm for pick-your-own!
DeleteYou can't beat local strawberries, and the season is SO short in New England!
ReplyDeleteWe'll have some for dessert when you visit!
DeleteMy favorite strawberry recipe is a strawberry rhubarb pie. Everyone enjoys this seasonal dessert. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteI get my rhubarb at the same farm where I pick my strawberries! Yum!
DeleteI remember when we used to go strawberry picking and I loved those summer days. Such fun. I used to make strawberry jam and a delectable strawberry pie. Now I would make a strawberry cobbler and eat it with ice cream. How perfect. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteI love strawberry picking! I always pick way too much, so I end up freezing half of them and use them all winter!
DeleteThat looks terrific. A crunchy crust, luscious whipped cream, and delicious strawberries. Yum.
ReplyDeletelibbydodd at comcast dot net
It tastes as good as it looks!
DeleteI love anything strawberry. Pie is my favorite, also a bar recipe using strawberry jam I got at work from a resident's daughter. And a nice slushy strawberry daquari is wonderful this time of year.
ReplyDeletekozo8989(at)hotmail(dot)com
OMG! That dacquari sounds amazing!
DeleteDark chocolate dipped strawberries are my favorite. Lindar617@att.net
ReplyDeleteThe classic pairing!
ReplyDeleteI love strawberries and my favorite dessert this time of year is strawberry shortcake. 🍓
ReplyDeleteIt's better if you can get the strawberries right from the strawberry farm.
diannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com
I couldn't agree more, Dianne!
DeleteI love strawberries anyway that are fixed in recipes. Your meringue strawberry tart looks scrumptious. I really like strawberry shortcake this time if year.
ReplyDeleteStrawberry shortcake was my Mom's favorite too!
DeleteOur strawberry season is a few weeks behind schedule this year. While I am waiting, I just picked the first three strawberries from my edible balcony garden. Instead of ice cream, I have made a dairy-free strawberry "nice" cream with frozen bananas and local strawberries in my food processor.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant idea, Grace! I'm going to try that!
DeleteThat pavlova looks good enough to eat! Just like I can't wait to read your book, I can't wait to make and eat this. One of my favorite ways to enjoy strawberries is sliced on my shredded wheat! They must be local, just-picked fresh, never from the store.
ReplyDeleteAhahaha. Love that. And, yes, despite being healthy, strawberries on shredded wheat is pretty fine, too. And, yes, just-picked fresh!
DeleteMy favorite is strawberry shortcake.
ReplyDeleteHow about a strawberry wine spritzer
ReplyDeleteMy favorite strawberry recipe is a simple one. Just strawberries topped with homemade whipped cream. So delicious! cherierj(at)yahoo(dot)com
ReplyDeleteI LOVE Pavlov! Maybe I should make this for my birthday! I love strawberries served over pound cake with whipped cream; or just strawberries on top of vanilla ice cream!
ReplyDeleteStrawberries on cheesecake is my favorite.
ReplyDeleteJess
maceoindo(at)yahoo(dot)com
My favorite strawberry recipe is a strawberry shortcake with lots of strawberries and whip cream! Thank you for the chance! I adore your books!
ReplyDeletejarjm1980(@)hotmail(dot)com
I love strawberry shortcake
ReplyDeleteI love strawberry shortcake
ReplyDeleteMy favorite strawberry recipe is strawberry shortcake with lots of whipped cream. However, your pavlova recipe looks like a delightful choice for a special summer occasion!
ReplyDeleteNancy
allibrary (at) aol (dot) com
Strawberry rhubarb pie is my favorite...We planted rhubarb about a month ago...it has 4 leaves and they are about 12 inches tall...I even put a large bottomless can around it to prevent critters from eating it...It gets watered along with all our raised bed plants, but there has been no growth...I am afraid that delicious strawberry rhubarb pie won't be making an appearance at our table this year...BUT...Strawberry Pavlova... It may become my favorite now that you shared your recipe. I am sure it will be as delicious as it looks. Thank you, Amy for sharing your brilliant writing talents and also your outstanding recipes with us eager readers. I am reading "Murder Is No Picnic" aloud to my wife and myself as I try to 'act' the parts....FUN!!!! Luis at ole dot travel
ReplyDeleteSo many ways to eat strawberries but my favorite is strawberry cheesecake.
ReplyDeleteConney.Parkhurst
ReplyDeleteConney.Parkhjurst@gmail.com My favorite is strawberry pie. But your recipe sounds really good and I'd like to try it. You're right, strawberry season in Florida is long gone. But I think I can find some strawberries somewhere.
Pretty sure this is too late for the drawing, but honestly, my favorite way to eat strawberries is fresh picked and washed. No recipe needed!
ReplyDelete