La'SheeLah and Raspberry Pavlova

Sheelah, Sheelah, Sheelah!  Do not say her name one more time!  What were the judges thinking?  My hair is longer, my ears are pointier, and my name isn’t redundant.  Doesn’t ‘Sheila’ mean girl anyway?  She’s a girl named girl? And she doesn’t even spell it write...I mean right. What is she? Some 300 hundred year old teenager trying to impress the rugby elves?  Next she’ll be capitalizing the L and adding another syllable -- La'SheeLah!  Okay, so I didn’t win Grande Supreme Elf.  Maybe if I had some fancy schmancy Australian accent, and a big kangaroo pocket full of peppermint on my apron I’d win, too. 

Sheelah came to the North Pole on a cultural exchange program from the South Pole except she never went back.  She said the North Pole was the “Dinky-di” and she unpacked her “trackie-daks” and settled in as Santa’s personal trainer and the North Pole fitness coach.  Whatever!  I personally think she passes out that candy to keep everyone a little pudgy for her own job security. 

Now, as head of the North Pole Kitchen and Bake Shoppe, I have to make the Honor Dessert for our new Grande Supreme Elf for our celebration dinner tonight.  She said her favorite dish is Raspberry Pavlova.  Of course and why not, Miss Snootypants, because raspberries are just growing all over the icicle bushes here at the North Pole.   Pavlova Schmavlova!  I think I’ll get Pavlov’s dogs to come drool all over the Pavlova.  Russian dog and Russian dancer meet in perfect unity to celebrate the great Sheelah, Grande Supreme Elf!    Ugh...I’m going to go find some raspberries. 

Raspberry Pavlova

4 egg whites

1/4 teaspoon (heaping) cream of tartar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup powdered sugar

fresh raspberries

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.  Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Turn the paper over and draw an 8 inch circle and a 4 inch circle on the back of the paper.  Flip the paper over and place it back on the cookie sheet.  In a large bowl mix together the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt.  Using a mixer beat egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form.  Gradually beat in granulated sugar.  Beat on high speed until stiff peaks form.

Spread the egg white mixture in the circles on the parchment paper. Form shallow wells in the center of each egg white circle.  Bake at 275 degrees for one hour.  Turn the oven off and leave meringue in the oven for an additional hour.  Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Whip the heavy cream on high speed with a mixer; add vanilla and sugar.  Spread 3/4 of the whipping cream onto the large meringue. Place 3/4 raspberries on top of whipped cream.  Add second layer of meringue and repeat with remaining whipped cream and raspberries.  Serve immediately.  Yield: 6 servings.