Just returned from an idyllic vacation at one of our resorts? About to take off for the Caribbean and craving a head start on your tropical getaway?
If you’re in the mood for a taste of Bonaire, Chef Antonio Bruni, executive chef of pureocean Beachside Dining and Chibi Chibi Bar & Restaurant at Divi Flamingo Beach Resort & Casino on Bonaire, shared his recipe for pavlova with us. Pavlova is a soft, light meringue dessert topped with fruit—perfect for enjoying on a hot summer day.
Chef Antonio’s Pavlova
This recipe serves 6-8.
For the meringue:
-6 egg whites
-9 oz. caster sugar
-1 tsp. white wine vinegar
-1 tsp. corn flour
-1 vanilla pod, scraped
For the topping:
-Berries and tropical fruits cut into cubes (such as kiwi, mango, pineapple, strawberries, and/or blueberries)
-3 tbsp. caster sugar
-1 cup heavy cream
Preheat oven to 220 degrees Fahrenheit. Whisk the egg whites with an electric or hand mixer until stiff. Adding sugar 1 tbsp. at time, whisk in the vinegar, corn flour, and vanilla pod until the mixture looks glossy.
Using 2 tablespoons, scoop the meringue into a dish covered with parchment paper, give it a shape you like, and create a nest in the middle to fill with the topping later.
Bake for 1 hour, then turn off the oven, and let the pavlova cool completely while inside the oven.
Chop the fruits while the meringue cools down. (Chef Antonio likes citrus fruits to balance the sweetness of meringue and the fatness of heavy cream. He also suggests dressing the fruit with passion fruit juice to give an extra kick.)
Whip the cream with 3 tbsp. of caster sugar.
Place 2 scoops of cream in the center of the pavlova, add 2 more tablespoons of fruit salad on top the cream, and serve.
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This May and June also mark Bonaire Cuisine Months, a celebration of Bonaire’s growing culinary scene. Tourism Corporation Bonaire created this annual two-month period to help introduce Bonaire’s wide variety of excellent fare to the world. If you’re on Bonaire, make sure to stop by pureocean Beachside Dining and Chibi Chibi Bar & Restaurant at Divi Flamingo Beach Resort! Chef Antonio will appreciate your support of Bonaire’s exciting cuisine.
