I’m so excited about this new dessert that I want to share the recipe so that others can try it! It’s delicious, easy to make and beautiful to look at! It’s called a Pavlova, and I discovered it when I was invited to a holiday party that was focused on international food and wine. My assignment was to bring a bottle of wine and a dessert from New Zealand. The wine was easy because I love New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, so I picked up a bottle of my favorite Sauvignon Blanc from the Kim Crawford Vineyard. The dessert was a bit more challenging; I had no idea what New Zealanders enjoy for dessert.

I did a little research and discovered the Pavlova. A Pavlova is a dessert made with a meringue base, covered with about an inch of whipped cream and topped with the fresh fruit of your choice. I chose strawberries, raspberries, and kiwi in keeping with the season. It has to be made just before serving so I made the meringue and whipped the cream, cut up the strawberries and kiwi ahead of time and packed it up to take to the party to assemble at dessert time. It was easy to put together, and looked great! Everyone loved it!

Here’s my recipe for Pavlova, which serves 8-10 people.

1/2 cup egg whites at room temperature (from about 4 eggs)

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/4 cups heavy cream

2 tablespoons brown sugar

12 strawberries, trimmed and sliced

2 kiwi fruit, peeled, cored and sliced

1 cup fresh raspberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt in a mixer until foamy. Add sugar, cornstarch, vinegar and vanilla and whip until stiff and glossy, about 6-8 minutes more. On a sheet pan, trace a 9-inch circle on a piece of parchment paper. Flip paper so that you can see the circle and pile the meringue in to the circle. Smooth top, without losing the loft of the meringue. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, then lower the heat to 300 degrees. Bake 45 minutes more. Turn off the oven, prop the door open and leave in the oven until it is cool.

Whip the cream with the brown sugar and slather it on top of the meringue. Top with fresh fruit and serve. Bon Appetit! If you’re at our Chesterfield NH Inn on New Year’s Eve, we’re going to make individual Pavlovas for our special New Year’s Eve dessert. I bet they’ll be great with champagne!

The Summer Menu at the Chesterfield Inn is now being served in the dining room and on the back terrace. The menu features fresh local foods, with the new twist of many of entrees available in smaller plate portions. The smaller plates will please those who like to graze through a menu, allowing guests to try an assortment of different menu items in smaller portions and still have room for dessert.

The Crab Cakes are a very popular appetizer, served with a Tomatillo and Roasted Corn Salsa with an Ancho Chile Remoulade – this is also available as an entree. A few of my favorites are the Roasted Petite Veal Rack on Balsamic Braised Swiss Chard with Porcini Mushroom Jus, and the Mussels with Tomatoes, Kalamata Olives, and Fennel on Fresh Rosemary Pappardelle. Another summery item on the menu is the Grilled Chicken and Whole Wheat Pasta Salad with Arugula Pesto, Roasted Sweet Corn, and Feta Cheese.

The Bruschetta is made with Sun-dried Tomato Tapenade, with Vermont Goat Cheese and Roasted Yellow Peppers. We make the Rosemary Baguettes – that are the base for the bruschetta – here at the inn and the flavors are perfect for summer! We invite you to come sample the new menu and enjoy sunset from the terrace – by far the best seats in Chesterfield!