January 2014 Entries

Mini Pavlovas with Poached Clementines--Pavlovas are not popular here in the US, but after seeing them repeatedly in Nigella's cookbooks and online, I began making them this summer--and am perhaps a bit obsessed! For this cookalong, I mostly followed the directions as given (I might tweak the baking instructions next time, though) but I cut the recipe by 3/4 and I added a splash of orange-blossom water to the meringue. I've been making mini-pavs with berries, but since it is the dead of winter here and only the very most indifferent berries from far-off lands can be found at this time, I decided to go with a still-astringent but more reliable fruit: clementines. I poached the clementines in simple syrup with cinnamon, vanilla, cardamom, and a splash of rosewater, ladled them over vanilla-scented whipped cream and sprinkled a few sliced almonds on top. A welcome reminder of spring and summer to come during an unusually harsh winter here in the Northeast!