Coconut Pavlovas With Tropical Fruits And Ice Cream

• 2 cups (1-inch) cubed fresh pineapple
• 1 cup orange sections
• 1 cup cubed peeled mango
• 1/3 cup dried sweet cherries
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons white rum
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 egg whites
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup flaked sweetened coconut, toasted
• 1 1/2 cups vanilla light ice cream (optional)
• Mint sprigs (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 250u0b0.
2. Combine first 7 ingredients in a bowl; stir well, and set aside. Place parchment paper over a large baking sheet. Draw 6 (4-inch) circles on parchment paper. Turn parchment paper over, and secure with masking tape.
3. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar with a mixer at high speed until foamy. Add extract; beat well. Gradually add 2/3 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Fold coconut into egg white mixture. Divide egg white mixture evenly among the 6 drawn circles. Shape meringues into nests with 1-inch sides using the back of a spoon.
4. Bake at 250u0b0 for 1 hour or until dry. Turn oven off; cool meringue nests in closed oven at least 4 hours. Carefully remove meringue nests from paper.
5. Spoon 1/4 cup ice cream, if desired, into each meringue nest, and top with about 2/3 cup fruit mixture. Garnish with mint sprigs, if desired.
6. Make a template to ensure your pavlovas come out looking perfect. Trace circles onto parchment paper as a guide for shaping the nests; a standard oatmeal can is the perfect size. Turn the paper (and the pencil markings) over before securing to the baking sheet.

pineapple, orange sections, mango, sweet cherries, sugar, white rum, ground cinnamon, egg whites, cream of tartar, almond extract, sugar, coconut, vanilla light ice cream

Taken from www.myrecipes.com/recipe/coconut-pavlovas-fruit-ice-cream (may not work)