http://lowcarbmadeeasy.com/2010/09/...s-with-berries/

I finally had some time on Sunday to try out a new recipe with some egg whites I had saved – individual low carb pavlovas! It’s something I have wanted to make for ages, but never did because well…I never have egg whites and I really HATE egg whites. LOL! These have always looked so good though, so I caved. Man oh man, this is my new favorite thing. Amazingly simple (although they do take a long time to bake/cool), and melt in your mouth delicious. These will be made often!!! Low carb, low calorie, deliciousness!

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Low Carb Pavlovas with Berries





Ingredients:

For Pavlovas:

4 egg whites at room temperature
3/4 cup powdered or superfine sweetener (I used Ideal Confectionery)
Pinch of Xanthan Gum (or cream of tartar – 1/4 tsp. I didn’t have any, so I use Xanthan)
Less than 1/8 teaspoon lemon extract (optional – I used about 3 drops, just enough!)
For Berry Filling:

1 8 ounce package cream cheese at room temperature
1/3 cup powdered sweetener (I used Ideal Confectionery)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup frozen unsweetened raspberries, thawed
For Berry Topping:

1/2 cup of frozen unsweetened raspberries, thawed
Preparation for Pavlovas:

Ok. This is going to be REALLY simple (we like that, right?)! Preheat your oven to 200 degrees.

In a bowl (or stand mixer) using a whisk attachment, beat your room temperature egg whites at medium speed until they begin to get nice and thick. Once they are thick, begin adding in your sweetener about a tablespoon or two at a time. Once all your sweetener is in and incorporated (scraping down the sides of the bowl if needed), add in the pinch of Xanthan (or cream of tartar) and the lemon extract if using. Bump the speed up to high, and continue to whip until nice, stiff peaks have formed.

Next is the fun part! Grab a baking sheet and line it with parchment paper. You can either spoon the egg whites onto the lined pan, or you can put them into a pastry bag and pipe them (I went this route). If spooning them on, make generous little piles (I got 11 out of the batch piping them on). One they are all scooped out, use the back of your spoon and hollow out a little well in the center of each for your topping later. If you opt to pipe them out, start by piping a 2.5″ diameter circle, then work your way around the inside until it’s filled in. Then pipe a band around the outside edge, forming a “cup”. I piped mine 3 layers high (JUST around the edges – not in the middle. You should only fill in the very bottom layer, then pipe around the edges until 3 “rings” tall). Bake on 200 degrees for 2 hours. Once the 2 hours has passed, turn your oven off and allow them to cool in the oven for 2 more hours.

Perparation for the berry filling:

I did this once the pavlovas had completely cooled. In a bowl, beat the cream cheese until it’s nice and smooth. Add in the sweetener and thoroughly combine. Add in the vanilla and beat some more. Finally, add in the 1/2 cup of thawed berries (and whatever juice they yield) into the cream cheese mixture and beat until completely incorporated. You can now either spoon or pipe the mixture into the wells in your pavlovas!

If you would like to top these with berries, now is the time!

These are SO good and SO pretty! They aren’t firm or crisp like meringues because you don’t let them dry out. They are sweet and spongy, kind of like a marshmallow (a little more firm, though). They totally melt in your mouth like cotton candy, and the hint of lemon is just SO good. I was just over the moon with how great these were.

Nutritional Information (11 servings):

Carbs: 2.9 g
Protein: 2.6 g
Fat: 5.5 g
Calories: 66!!!! YES, just 66 little calories.

For those that are not aware of making meringues, be aware that an insulated oven vs. a non-insulated oven makes a huge difference in whether or not they will lightly brown. (I don't recall which is which.)

looks sooo good! I think I might need to make LOL

this looks amazing too! (just saw candiflips lemon merangue pie) think I might combine the two and make the pavlovas and fill it with lc lemon curd!!!! satisfy 2 cravings at once!

That's soooo my next one! I love lemon curd!

How'd the meringues come out? When I've tried without sugar they were always a mess. They would flatten out and have a really weird texture. Not like a real meringue at all.

These were supposed to be softer, and since I haven't made a pavlova before, I don't have much to compare it to. It was nice and firm, slightly crisp on the outside...but was still a little chewy as it was meant to be. They don't cool/dry out as long as a meringue would, so they don't get to the point of being hard. I really, really, REALLY like them. I'm going to make another batch tonight, I think (have to see if I have time for them...)

These certainly didn't flatten (I piped the sides 3 layers high). I haven't tried to make them with anything other than the powdered Ideal, so maybe other sweeteners don't work as well.

Hmm... sounds like it might actually contain sugar in addition to xylitol. That would explain why your pavlova came out so good. Although I bet you could do it with Xy. and E.

Nope. Here's what the bag says:

"Xylitol, Maltodextrin, and less than 0.05% sucralose for added sweetness"

I'm not sure why they came out well...or that it was hard to get them to come out without sugar. Maybe it was the xanthan gum that I used instead of cream of tartar?

Edit: I'm making another batch now to see if it was beginner's luck or something. Plus, they're gone and I want more

Oooooo, these look soooooo good! I love raspberries! Got to try these

Second batch turned out great. I think it's the xanthan gum. The texture changes REALLY quickly once I add it. Really nice and stiff. I didn't pipe them this time either since I thought that might be part of it - just big dallops.

I made the filling with a a cup and a half of whipped cream folded in. Really nice!