Easter Sunday Feast

Easter is next Sunday. After Christmas, it is our largest holiday for food. In Ireland, we wake up to find large chocolate eggs have been deposited by our beds by the Easter Bunny, then church, then the whole family come together for Easter dinner.

Our Easter dinner would usually be a smoked salmon starter, a leg of lamb or a ham with mashed potatoes, carrots and parsnips for our main course and then dessert! Dessert in our house was usually pavlova, a delicious meringue, cream and fruit concoction that is the one thing that instils silence at the table while we eat!

I, personally, find it very difficult to make a pavlova. Every time I do it is either overcooked or raw. There is a knack to it that I do not have. However, I have discovered a recipe that is fool proof and is impressive enough to serve at any dinner party and is totally gluten free, and if you use a non dairy cool whip type of cream it can also be dairy free.

This is my rolled over pavlova. It is like a Swiss roll made with meringue. Delicious! In case you are looking a great dessert to bring to your Easter feast, here is my recipe for Rolled Over Pavlova.

Rolled Over Pavlova

5 egg whites
5 oz extra fine sugar
5 oz confectioners sugar
2 tsp corn starch

Line a baking tray (about 9 x 13) with parchment paper and spray with Pam. Preheat oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.

Beat the egg whites and extra fine sugar together until you have stiff peaks. Be patient, it must be very stiff. Fold in the confectioners sugar and corn starch.

Gently put the mixture into the baking tray and spread out to corners. Bake in oven for about 30 minutes. The top will be a little crispy and the inside will still be soft and gooey.

Let the pavlova cool in the tray and then turn out carefully onto another sheet of parchment paper. Gently remove the original parchment paper from the pavlova. Spread whipped cream or whipped filling over the pavlova and then drop in fruit of your choice. I love raspberries or strawberries but I have used kiwis, blueberries or pineapple.

Now take one short edge of the parchment paper and gently roll the pavlova over and over to make a pavlova Swiss roll. On the last roll, place the edge of the pavlova at the edge of your place and roll the pavlova onto your display plate.

If this sounds a little too difficult the first time out, just cut the pavlova in thirds and gently place one layer on top of the other and turn the top layer cream side down to create a layered pavlova dessert.

Decorate the pavlova with blobs of cream and fruit along the top of the roll.

It is easier than it sounds when I write it out1 Try it, you'll enjoy it.