Ask A Boston Chef: Gluten-Free Holiday Dessert - Cranberry Orange Pavlova

Legal Sea Foods has built a reputation as one of the most allergy-friendly restaurants in Boston and one of the first to really specialize in gluten-free dining, with an entire menu dedicated to such.

Of course, no gluten-free meal is complete without dessert. So for the holidays, Kristin Wilson, the Pastry Chef for Legal Harborside second floor has the perfect Gluten-Free treat to serve to your guests for the upcoming holidays.

Chef Kristen Wilson
Legal Harborside
270 Northern Ave, Boston, MA 02210
(617) 477-2900
legalseafoods.com

Cranberry Orange Pavlova

Ingredients

MERINGUE
6 egg whites
1teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Whip in mixer until soft peaks form. Increase speed to high and beat in 1 1/4 cups sugar, adding slowly not all at once. Whip until stiff and glossy. Using a large spoon, dollop 6 mounds of meringue onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread mounds into 5" squares and make an impression in the center of each. Bake 1 hour 45 minutes at 250F until outsides are firm. Allow to cool.

PASTRY CREAM
1 quart milk
1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped out
1/2 cup yolks
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cornstarch

Combine & heat milk & vanilla. Slowly add some of the hot liquid into yolk mixture then return to pot and coom, stirring constantly until thick.

1 tablespoon orange extract
2 oz butter

Add, mix until melted, allow to cool.

CRANBERRIES
2 cups sugar
1 cup water
1 vanilla bean, split
1 orange
1 1/2 cups cranberries

In a large saucepan, combine sugar, water, zest from orange and vanilla bean. Squeeze juice from orange into pot as well. Bring to a simmer, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Add cranberries and cook over low heat just until berries are softened but still intact. Let cool. Discard vanilla bean and zest.

TO PLATE: Place a meringue on plate, scoop pastry cream into center of meringue and top with some of the cranberries.