Frosted Meringue with Kiwifruit (Pavlova)

This dessert celebrates ballerina Anna Pavlova. It was created to welcome her during her tour of Australia. Another popular fruit used to make this dessert is passion fruit.

3 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup chilled whipping cream
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 kiwifruit, peeled and sliced*

Preheat oven to 225 degrees F. Line bottom of 8- or 9-inch round layer pan with brown paper.

Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy; add vanilla extract. Beat in 3/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time; continue beating until stiff and glossy. Spread in pan. Bake 1 1/2 hours.

Turn off oven; leave meringue in oven with door closed 1 hour.

Finish cooling meringue at room temperature.

Loosen edge of meringue with knife; hit pan sharply on table to remove meringue. Invert onto plate (meringue will be crumbly on bottom and around edge). Remove paper.

Beat whipping cream and 2 tablespoons sugar in chilled bowl until stiff. Frost side and top of meringue, building up edge slightly. Arrange kiwifruit slices on top. Cut into wedges to serve.

Yields 8 servings.

* 1 1/2 to 2 cups fresh strawberries, cut into halves, raspberries, blueberries, or a combination of these can be substituted for the kiwifruit.