{"id":15036,"date":"2015-08-23T05:55:29","date_gmt":"2015-08-23T09:55:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.northcountrypublicradio.org\/allin\/?p=15036"},"modified":"2015-08-23T11:31:05","modified_gmt":"2015-08-23T15:31:05","slug":"adirondack-pavlova-a-foraged-locavore-indulgence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.northcountrypublicradio.org\/allin\/2015\/08\/23\/adirondack-pavlova-a-foraged-locavore-indulgence\/","title":{"rendered":"Adirondack Pavlova – a foraged locavore indulgence"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Adirondack<\/a>

A meringue crust and whipped mascarpone cream filling cushion Adirondack wild raspberries.<\/p><\/div>\n

It is not very often you meet a dessert worthy of carrying delicate Adirondack wild raspberries, but Adirondack Wild Raspberry Double Chocolate Maple Pavlova is up to the task. Like most wild fruit, wild Adirondack raspberries are smaller, sweeter, and more fragile than their domestic relatives. It is easy to overwhelm the berry’s best part–their authentic raspberry flavor–with heavy sweeteners and bold flavors. I was looking for a light, gluten-free, and interesting way to serve wild raspberries when I concocted this recipe.<\/p>\n

This delightful treat is a basic meringue spruced up with chocolate and Adirondack maple sugar, topped with maple-sweetened mascarpone cheese that is whipped with heavy cream, and topped with freshly picked wild raspberries and shaved chocolate. A slice of fresh Adirondack Pavlova is the perfect way to prepare for, or refuel after, a long summer day of outdoor recreation. Outdoor recreation isn’t a necessary ingredient in this recipe, but it helps alleviate the guilt when you realize you must have another piece of Pavlova.<\/p>\n

\"Picking<\/a>

Helpers are important for wild raspberry picking, even if they eat most of the berries and the bucket is just a prop.<\/p><\/div>\n

The original Pavlova was created for the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova in the 1920s in either New Zealand or Australia; both countries claim credit, as well they should. Unlike traditional meringue, a Pavlova crust is light and crisp on the outside with a moist, soft, almost gooey interior.<\/p>\n

The active local food movement in northern New York is a boon to those of us who like to buy local and make yummy desserts like this. The maple syrup and sugar used in this recipe came from my neighbors’ maple syrup operation, and the eggs from our CSA farm share. The star of this show is volunteer food–foraged wild raspberries from my front yard–you don’t get more local than that.<\/p>\n

Before we start, a word about working with meringue: it sticks to everything. It is so sticky it is used as glue to hold the parchment paper to the baking sheet in this recipe. This means if you are an uptight fuss-budget, you’ll want to stay away from this recipe. I lean toward the tidy and I had to learn to just let it go when I started baking meringues. The sticky egg-white mixture gets everywhere and makes a mess, but don’t worry, you can clean up after the Pavlova is in the oven. And whatever you do, do not make a Pavlova with an uptight fuss-budget lurking in your kitchen; they’ll freak out over the mess and take all the fun out of licking the beaters. (What are you doing hanging with an uptight fuss-budget anyway?)<\/p>\n

\"Adirondack<\/a>

Egg whites beaten to sticky stiff peaks.<\/p><\/div>\n

A tip about eggs whites: older is better. Extremely fresh eggs are more difficult to separate and whip. Eggs separate easier when they are cold, but whip better at room temperature. So, separate the eggs right out of the refrigerator and let the whites warm to room temp before you start whipping them. It takes a while for egg whites to reach whipped perfection, so get comfortable and turn your radio up loudly so you can hear NCPR over the noise of the mixer.<\/p>\n

\"Chopped<\/a>

If you don’t have a sous chef, prepare the ingredients before you start whipping the egg whites.<\/p><\/div>\n

For the Crust<\/strong><\/p>\n