Palova

• 6 large egg whites
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 pinch salt

OK...this is EASY. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking sheeet with wax paper. Put your egg whites into a bowl. I break mine one at a time and put into the bowl one at a time.  That assures me that I did not get yolks in my bowl. Whisk on medium until the whites form firm peaks. WiIth the mixer still running, gradually add the sugar and the pinch of salt. Turn the mixer up to the highest setting and whisk for about 7 minutes or until mixture is white and glossy. Test at this stage to make sure it doesn't feel grainy. If it does. Mix some more. At this point I throw in a TBL of cocoa, lemon zest is good as well. Now with spatula spread the meringue in a free form design. I keep it long and about 9 inches wide about an inch high. I try to indent the center out with the back of a large spoon. Pop in the oven for an hour. You want it crisp on the outside and gooey in the middle.

Now the fun begins. Once cooled I spread with whipped cream and top with a melange of berries, pistacios and caramel crackle (Melt down 1/2 cup sugar until smooth...take off stove immediately and place bottom of pan in cool water to stop cooking. Give it a second more and you can drizzle it on your Pavlova. It dries to a hard crackle like on one of those great apples at the fair.