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I can’t believe that Easter is in less than two weeks! Jordan has half days all this week, and is off all the next, so I need to get myself in gear for Easter basket goodies!
I think the early Easter has affected the blog too – this is my first “cute” Easter post! I posted a few brunch ideas (Raspberry Snack Cake and Peanut Butter Muffins) over the past few weeks…but nothing fun! Until now…
Peeps are an iconic Easter treat. Every February 15 you see them start to pop up in stores, ready to be baked and crafted with and thrown into Easter baskets and plastic eggs. When I was invited to join the Spring Hop Along Peeps Party, I knew I wanted to do a cute Easter Peeps treat! I actually had two ideas…and this one happened first. Maybe I’ll get to the other one before the big day!
I’ve never made pavlovas before. I can’t even remember if I’ve ever tasted them either! But I love meringues, so I knew I’d love pavlovas too. In fact, making pavlova is not that different from making meringue cookies, although I think the recipe is a teensy bit different.
Normally, you see pavlovas served with fruit on top. Now, I’m not a huge fruit-in-dessert person. But I am totally a sugar-on-sugar and cute dessert person, so I am introducing you to your cutest ever Easter dessert: Mini Pavlova Peeps Nests.
Have you ever ended up with leftover egg whites in your fridge? If you’ve ever made homemade pudding, I can bet the answer is yes. When I made the Coconut Cream Pies in Jars, I had a few egg whites left over and I wanted to use them instead of finding them in the back of my refrigerator in three months, all green and fluffy.
{Don’t judge; you know you’ve been there too.}
Somehow pavlovas came to mind, and shortly after, Peeps nest popped into my brain. Pavlovas are super simple to make: whip eggs and sugar with a little cream of tartar and vanilla. You get a sweet, stiff mixture reminiscent of liquid marshmallow. This is your meringue, what the pavlovas are made out of. Then you bake it at a low temperature (in essence, you are just drying them out) and the become crunchy on the outside and soft and sweet on the inside.
You can pipe your pavlovas onto parchment using a piping bag, to make them perfectly round and sculpted. Or, you can just spoon them on, like I did. You can even make one large pavlova instead of minis, and make more of a cake. Then you top with delicious things, like whipped cream or berries. I’m sure they’re delicious with strawberries or peaches. For me, they’re perfect with whipped cream and Peeps!
Then I added some Robin’s Eggs and some sprinkles, for good measure. Everything is better with candy eggs and sprinkles!
Cute Easter food at it’s finest! Want some other cute Peeps ideas? Check out the list below for some inspiration!
Pavlova Peeps Nests
Ingredients
- 3 large egg whites
- 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups whipped cream unsweetened
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
- 3-4 drops green food coloring
- About 8 Peeps
- Candy eggs and/or sprinkles if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment or a silpat.
- Beat egg whites using an electric mixer on high until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, with the mixer running. Beat until the egg whites are very stiff and glossy and if you feel the meringue between your fingers there is no grittiness (the sugar has dissolved), about 5 minutes. Beat in vanilla.
- Using 2 spoons, scoop dollops of meringue on your prepared cookie sheet. Use the back of one spoon to smooth the meringue into a small circle and place an indent in the center to hold the filling. Alternately, you could place your meringue in a piping bag and pipe small circles. You will get about 8 circles.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. They are done when the outside is no longer sticky, but the inside is still soft. Turn off the oven and let the pavlovas cool inside it.
- Once cool, remove the pavlovas to a serving plate.
- Take your whipped cream and stir in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and food coloring. Alternately, you could use whipped topping or leftover frosting (but those wouldn’t need sweeting). Place about 2 tablespoons of whipped cream on top the pavlovas. Top with a Peep and sprinkles!
Recipe Nutrition
Do you love Peeps? Then you’re in luck! This post is part of a Spring Hop Along Peeps Party!
Peeps from friends:
Peeps Doodle Cake by Something Swanky
Peeps & Patron Cocktail by Smart School House
Peeps in a Basket by Mom on Timeout
What a cute idea, to give the peeps a crunchy nest. I love pavlova!
Thanks Regina!
I have 3 egg whites in my frig. I am having pavlova tomorrow.
Perfect!! 🙂
I love microwave s’mores made with peeps!
I’ve always wanted to try a Pavlova (because of the name and how fancy they look), but it’s one food I just can’t imagine the texture or taste. Which means it has to get done fast 🙂
You are a ‘sugar-on-sugar’ person!
They have a great flavor Loretta! Crunchy outside, soft inside, like a sugary toasted marshmallow!
I’m still remembering how amazing that bunny munch was last year! I think Bugles and candy melts are in my near future. The heck with the “carrots”. I’ll just have Bugles and “dip”. 🙂
I just eat Peeps one after another…straight out of the package.
Yay! That sounds like something I would do… 🙂
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