Monday Munchies: Gingered peach pavlovas

I can blame it on polar vortex and my body's intense craving for sunshine and cotton candy, but I won't. I'm just lazy. There really is no other excuse. I was going to write this post back in summer when I first made these gingered peach pavlovas (I even uploaded the photos!) but never got around to adding words. In retrospect, I probably should have done it back then, when peaches were in season and you'd be more inspired to make this.

But here I am nonetheless. 

There are certain things that go well together - dark chocolate and sea salt, blue cheese and pruny dates, and my latest discovery - gingered peach and pavlovas. 

Pavlovas are basically whipped eggwhites, sweetened with sugar then baked until it forms a crisp, light, outer shell. Basically a meringue but with a marshmallow-y center. They're definitely on the sweeter end of the spectrum which is why the gingered peaches goes so well with it. It also gives a nice crunch to the pillow-y peaches.

I know it's almost brutal to think about biting into a soft, juicy peach when it's so cold outside. But hey - light at the end of the tunnel, right? Maybe with this you can trick your body into thinking it's not subzero outside. 

Recipe after the jump

(Recipe courtesy of Bon Appetit)

Meringues

• 1/2 cup sugar, divided
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 large egg whites, room temperature
• 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Peaches

• 2 cups water
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 12-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled, thinly sliced
• 3 firm but ripe large peaches, peeled, halved, pitted

Meringues

• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 250°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar and cornstarch in small bowl to blend; set aside.
• Using electric mixer, beat egg whites and cream of tartar in large bowl until soft peaks form. Beat in vanilla. Gradually beat in remaining 6 1/2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time; continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Sift cornstarch mixture over meringue and gently fold in with rubber spatula just until incorporated.
• Spoon meringue onto prepared baking sheet in 6 mounds (about 1/4 cup each), spacing apart. Using back of spoon, make indentation in center of each mound, forming each meringue into 3-inch-diameter nest. Bake meringues until crisp and barely golden on outside but still soft on inside, about 55 minutes. Using metal spatula, transfer meringues to rack and cool completely. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Store in single layer in airtight container at room temperature.

Peaches

• Combine 2 cups water, 1 1/4 cups sugar, fresh lemon juice, and sliced ginger in large saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 5 minutes. Add peeled peach halves to syrup in saucepan; remove from heat. Allow peaches to cool to room temperature in syrup, turning occasionally. Transfer peaches with syrup to medium bowl; cover and chill until cold. DO AHEAD Peaches can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.
• Remove peaches from syrup and cut each half into 6 wedges; reserve syrup.