Banana Split Pavlova – A “Sick” Dessert For Both Adults and Kids!
I learned this adjective from my nephews. It now means crazy, cool, insane. OK. This dessert is definitely sick. Our beloved sophisticated pavlova, a refined dessert created to honor prima ballerina Ánna Pávlova, at the turn of the last century has been turned on its graceful ear, so to speak.
Here, our marshmallowy meringue is filled with low-fat vanilla yogurt (for the adults) or ice cream and whipped cream (for the kids). Then it is topped with fresh pineapple and banana, chopped peanuts, a wild drizzle of hot fudge, and studded with (natural, no artificial color) maraschino cherries. For an extra kick, the adults’ cherries get soaked in brandy. It is not the finale for your next elegant dinner party. But it is delightful and playful, a sick dessert with wholesome “banana split” ingredients for adults and kids alike.
Banana Split Pavlovas Recipe
- 6 egg whites, room temperature
- 1 1/2 c. baker’s sugar
- 1 1/2 t. vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 t. lemon juice
- 3 t. cornstarch
Preheat the oven to 275° F.
Make sure the bowl is scrupulously clean and the eggs have no trace of yolk. In a large glass or copper bowl, beat egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Add sugar, one tablespoon at a time with mixer running until the mixture is thick and glossy.
In a small bowl combine vanilla, lemon juice, and cornstarch until the cornstarch is completely dissolved, then add to the egg white mixture and blend until just combined.
Crumble up a sheet of parchment paper, this will help prevent the meringue from sticking to it. Flatten out the parchment. Place the parchment on a baking sheet and dust with cornstarch.
Scoop the egg white mixture onto the parchment in 6 or 8 mounds depending on the size of desired individual pavlovas. They will expand so be sure to leave space between the mounds. Use a ladle to form wells in the mounds. These wells will hold the yogurt/ice cream/whipped cream. Bake for one hour (do not open door while baking) then turn off the oven, open the door slightly, and let the meringue cool slowly in the oven for another hour.
- vanilla yogurt
- ice cream (vanilla, chocolate, and/or strawberry)
- whipped cream
- fresh pineapple, diced
- banana, diced
- roasted and salted peanuts, chopped
- hot fudge
- natural maraschino cherries (soaked in brandy, optional)
- flaky sea salt
Fill room temperature meringues with yogurt OR ice cream and whipped cream. Top with pineapple and banana. Sprinkle with peanuts. Drizzle hot fudge over the top. Adults will appreciate a light dusting of flaky sea salt. Finish with maraschino cherries. Yeah, it’s sick.
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Kid Friendly Foods
#FallFest is a season long franchise where Food Network editors team up with bloggers to share recipes about everyone’s favorite autumn dishes. You might enjoy taking a peek at other Kid Friendly recipes from some fabulous bloggers below… and be sure to follow our very popular Pinterest Board with over 325,000 followers called Let’s Pull Up A Chair!
The Lemon Bowl: Yogurt Banana Splits with Muesli
Devour: Healthy, Kid-Friendly Recipes That Make Food Disappear Faster Than Houdini
Homemade Delish: Homemade Poptarts
Virtually Homemade: Gluten-Free Banana Muffins with Cinnamon Glaze
Creative Culinary: Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats
Healthy Eats: 6 Kid-Approved Finger Foods with a Healthy Twist
Taste with the Eyes: Banana Split Pavlova – A “Sick” Dessert For Both Adults and Kids!
Daisy at Home: Chewy Granola Bars
FN Dish: A Whole Week’s Worth of Back-to-School Lunches
Crazy For Pavlova?
See My Other Pavlova Recipes Below
PAVLOVA ~ Filled with Elderflower Lemon Curd Yogurt, Elderflower Macerated Cherries, Blueberries, Blackberries, Raspberries for a Patriotic Party here
PAVLOVA ~ Blueberry, Lemon Curd with Limoncello, Greek Yogurt and visit our super-cool Down Under Party here
PAVLOVA ~ Blueberry, Raspberry, and Blackberry In Chai Lavender Syrup, Greek Yogurt and Mint and read about the Famous Ballerina here
No.no – this ‘language’ is too strange to use: but the dish seems to be a rather fashionable deconstructed pavlova with a number of extra tastes and a definite look about it! Fun, but definitely! And why could one not serve it at a dinner party ?