Black Eyed Susans, Egg Yolk Soap, and Pavlova

This week we have finally been able to enjoy a few classic Vermont summer days.  They've been few and far between this summer with our months of heavy rain and flooding and then extreme heat and humidity.  Maggie and I took a walk through the back pasture and gathered a bouquet of my favorite summer wildflowers,  Black Eyed Susans and Queen Anne's Lace.  So simple, and so beautiful!

We've been overrun with eggs this week.  I guess the hens have been enjoying these warm days and cool evenings as much as we have.  

So, what's a girl to do with a surplus of eggs?  Well, around here, it means two things:  egg yolk soap and Pavlova.

Our Egg Yolk and Honey Farm Soap was one of our first soap recipes.  I've tweaked it quite a few times and now have a formula I'm crazy about:  rich egg yolks from our hens, a little honey from our bees, a little beeswax, a little lanolin, some organic oils and butters, divine essential oils, a few flower buds, and a whole lot of love!

Here are the egg yolks waiting to be incorporated into the melted oils.  Aren't they beautiful?  Those bright orange yolks are the result of happy chickens allowed to freely wander and peck in grasses and pasture.

Here I'm straining the yolks into the soap bucket of melted oils, beeswax, lanolin and honey.

I found it difficult to mix the soap and take photos, so next time I will have an assistant, but here's a shot of the soap after it has been fully mixed and has reached trace.  It is ready to be poured into molds.

Here it is poured into a mold, topped with dried calendula blossoms and lavender buds.  Now it is ready to be covered and allowed to finish saponifying.  The saponification process generates a good amount of heat.  

About 24 hours later, the soap has cooled down and has turned firm and opaque.  Here are a few slices of the freshly sliced soap.  I've found that this soap always has a greenish center when it is first cut.  I think it is the combination of egg yolks and the lavender, though my lavender oatmeal soap looks this way when it is first cut, too, so perhaps it is just the lavender. The odd color goes away within the next 24 hours, and then the soap takes on its beautiful butter yellow color.

The soap is now on racks curing.  It should be fully cured in 4-6 weeks.

So that took care of those extra egg yolks. What about all those whites?  It's Pavlova time!

If you aren't familiar with Pavlova, it is a sweet, fluffy meringue generally topped with whipped cream and fresh fruit.  Many years ago when my husband was in graduate school, we became close friends with a couple from Australia.  Apparently Aussie's take great pride in their "Pavy"and claim it to be one of their national desserts, and Belinda's was the best.  Crisp on the outside, fluffy and moist on the inside.  She generally served hers topped with a tin of passion fruit, whipped cream, and some raspberries.  Yum.  It has become a family favorite, and it's always a happy day around here when there's a pavy in the oven.  Save this recipe for a day when the humidity is low.

Binny's Pavlova

8 egg whites at room temperature

2 cups superfine white granulated sugar (see note below)

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 teaspoons white vinegar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

fresh heavy cream, for whipping

fresh berries or seasonal fruit (cut into bite sized pieces, if necessary)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees (F).

In a stand mixer, whip the egg whites until foamy.  Continue beating at high speed and slowly add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, allowing a few seconds in between additions.  Periodically stop the mixer, and scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl with a clean, grease-free spoon.   Once all of the sugar has been incorporated, continue beating until the mixture is glossy and quite firm.  I use a kitchenaid and find that it usually takes me about 20-25 minutes to slowly add the sugar and get the whites properly beaten. 

After the whites are beaten, drizzle the vanilla extract and vinegar over the top.  On slow speed, mix until combined.  Using a small sifter, shake the cornstarch over the top, and again, gently combine on low speed.

Mound the beaten whites onto a (very) clean cookie sheet, in a rough circular shape, leveling the mixture slightly with the back of your spoon or spatula--about 8-9"in diameter and 3-4" tall.

Place on the bottom rack in the hot oven, close the door, and immediately lower the oven temperature to 250 degrees.  Bake 1 hour and 30 minutes.  

The Pavlova should feel dry to the touch when done and have a crispy crust.  Allow to cool, then slice into wedges and enjoy with fruit and whipped cream.

Note:  I buy superfine granulated white sugar at my local market.  Regular white sugar works ok, too, if you don't have it.  Or, if you are so inclined, you can briefly process the sugar in your food processor or blender.  The superfine sugar seems to yield a finer texture in the pavlova.

Enjoy these summer days!