Fresh Cherry Slab-Pavlova (Slablova)
Photo by Julia Gartland
- Serves
- one 13 x 18 inch (baking sheet-sized) pavlova
I wanted to make a meringue-based “pie” for a crowd. At first, I wasn’t sure: was it a slab pie? Was it a pavlova? Clearly, it was a slablova and it was a perfect summer party dessert. I finished mine with a tart cream topping and plenty of fresh cherries – but you could use absolutely any fruit and it would be perfect.
Ingredients
Meringue Shell
- 9 egg whites, at room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping
- 1 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
- 1 1/4 pound cherries, pitted and halved
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- zest of 1 lemon, plus more for garnish
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Directions
Instructions
- Step 1
Preheat the oven to 275ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Step 2
Clean the bowl and whip of an electric mixer or a large glass bowl and the beaters of a hand mixer with white vinegar and wipe dry.
- Step 3
Place the egg whites and cream of tartar in the prepared bowl and whip on low speed until foamy, 1-2 minutes.
- Step 4
Raise the speed to medium, and begin to add the sugar gradually, whipping to stiff peaks. With such a large amount of egg whites this may take longer than you think, 8-10 minutes. Do not overwhip – the egg whites should look soft and smooth, not clumpy or dry.
- Step 5
Add the vanilla and mix to combine. Transfer the meringue to the prepared baking sheet, and spread in an even layer – almost to the edges of the pan on all sides. It’s ok to have peaks and valleys in the meringue – this will give it good texture later.
- Step 6
Transfer the pan to the oven, and reduce the temperature to 225ºF. Bake until the meringue is firm and set, about 2 hours. Turn the oven off and leave the meringue to cool completely (and continue drying), another 3-4 hours.
- Step 7
I like to serve this right on the baking sheet – plop a spoon in the middle and let people go to town. If you want to put it on a platter, it’s best to transfer it before you top it. Be careful – it’s easy for the meringue to crack at this size. It’s best to leave it on the parchment paper to serve.
- Step 8
In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip the cream, sour cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla bean to soft peaks. In a medium bowl, toss the cherries, sugar, and lemon zest to combine.
- Step 9
Add the topping just before serving. Spread the cream mixture evenly over the pavlova, and top with the cherry mixture. Garnish with more lemon zest, if using, and serve immediately.