Raspberry-Rhubarb Mini Pavlovas

Instructions

• Position oven rack in lower third of oven. Preheat to 300F. Line a non-stick muffin pan with jumbo paper cups.

• Stir sugar with cream of tartar and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside. Place egg whites in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer on high, beat until soft peaks form when beaters are lifted, about 2 min. Gradually beat in sugar mixture, a spoonful at a time, until stiff , glossy peaks form, about 6 more min. Beat in vinegar and vanilla for 1 min. Scoop into a piping bag or a large zip-top plastic bag (snip bottom corner with scissors). Pipe into prepared muffin cups.

• Reduce heat to 275F. Bake pavlovas in lower third of oven until tops are crisp and dry, about 1 1/4 hours. Turn off oven and let them dry in oven for 30 more min. Remove and leave in muffin pan until completely cool.

• To make fruit compote, combine rhubarb with sugar and frozen raspberries in a medium saucepan and set over medium. Stir until sugar melts and mixture starts to simmer, then reduce to medium-low. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until rhubarb is tender but not mushy, about 10 min. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 of fresh raspberries and liqueur.

• Whip cream with 1 tbsp sugar until thick. To assemble, gently pull or cut off the top of each of the meringue cupcakes. Spoon a dollop of cream into a cupcake, then add some fruit compote. Top with some remaining fresh raspberries. Partially cover with pavlova top. Lightly dust with icing sugar.