Pomegranate Pavlova

📝 Ingredients

• 5 eggs (cold, not warmed)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (optional)
• 1 vanilla bean (split lengthwise and seeds scraped out)
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons potato starch
• 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoon pomegranate juice
• Meyer Lemon Curd (recipe follows)
• Sliced berries (pomegranate seeds, whipped cream (for dairy meals))
• 2 teaspoons Meyer lemon zest
• Juice of 4 Meyer lemons
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 6 egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- PAVLOVA ---
2. 2Preheat oven to 250°F. Draw a 9-inch circle on a piece of parchment paper. Flip the paper so ink does not get on the meringue and set aside.
3. 3Whip whites, salt, and vanilla seeds on high in a mixer until firm. With the motor running, add sugar, a spoonful at a time, until whites are glossy and very stiff.
4. 4Gently fold potato starch and vinegar into meringue with a spatula.
5. 5Gently swirl pomegranate juice into meringue creating streaks of color. Do not try to mix it in completely. You want a swirled appearance.
6. 6Transfer meringue to prepared parchment paper. Form meringue into a rustic bowl. It's not necessary to make it perfect. Just be sure to make the center thick enough to support the filling.
7. 7Bake pavlova at 250°F for 1½ hours. Turn off the oven and do not open the door for at least 6 hours or, better yet, overnight. The residual heat will crisp up the meringue and keep humidity out.
8. 8Place pavlova on a serving platter. Pile lemon curd in pavlova and garnish with berries, pomegranate seeds, and whipped cream for dairy meals.
9. 9--- MEYER LEMON CURD ---
10. 10In a non-reactive pot, whisk together zest, juice, sugar, salt, and eggs and lace over medium-low heat. Cook for 5 minutes, whisking until thickened and smooth. Strain curd through a fine sieve set into another bowl.
11. 11Add evoo and mix thoroughly. Cover surface of curd with plastic before chilling to prevent skin forming. Chill until ready to fill pavlova.