Strawberry Pavlova

• 4 egg whites
• Pinch of salt
• 1 1/4 cups superfine sugar
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon white-wine vinegar
• A few drops vanilla extract
• 1 pound strawberries, hulled and halved or quartered
• 1/2 teaspoon high-quality vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon high-quality balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon superfine sugar
• 2 cups heavy cream

1. To prepare meringue: heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and draw a circle on the paper using an 8- or 9- inch cake pan as a guide.
3. In bowl of an electric mixer, combine egg whites and salt.
4. Begin beating at low speed, slowly increasing to high.
5. Continue until satiny peaks begin to form; gradually beat in sugar a tablespoon at a time until meringue is stiff and shiny.
6. Sprinkle in cornstarch, white-wine vinegar and vanilla, and fold in gently.
7. Mound onto parchment within circle, and shape into a disk, flattening top and smoothing sides.
8. Place in oven, and immediately reduce heat to 300 degrees.
9. Bake 1 hour 15 minutes.
10. Turn off heat, and allow meringue to cool completely in oven.
11. To prepare topping: in a mixing bowl, combine strawberries, vanilla, balsamic vinegar and sugar.
12. Cover with plastic wrap.
13. Let sit at room temperature at least 15 minutes and up to 2 hours.
14. To serve, invert meringue onto a plate, and carefully peel off parchment.
15. (Crisp top of meringue will now be against plate with tender underside facing up.)
16. Whip cream until it is thick enough to hold peaks, and spread it evenly over meringue.
17. Cover cream with strawberries, allowing a small amount of their liquid to dribble onto cream.
18. Serve immediately.

egg whites, salt, sugar, cornstarch, whitewine vinegar, vanilla extract, strawberries, vanilla, balsamic vinegar, sugar, heavy cream

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/9641 (may not work)