History of Pavlova

Pavlova is a meringue-based dessert named after the Russian ballet dancer Anna Pavlova.It is a meringue dessert with a crisp crust and soft, light inside.

The dessert is believed to have been created in honour of the dancer either during or after one of her tours to Australia and New Zealand in the 1920s. The nationality of its creator has been a source of argument between the two nations for many years, but formal research indicates New Zealand as the source.

The dessert is a popular dish and an important part of the national cuisine of both countries, and with its simple recipe, is frequently served during celebratory and holiday meals. It is a dessert most identified with the summer time, but is eaten all year round in many Australian and New Zealand homes.

Source retrieved from Wiki

I follow the Pavlova recipe from this book:

Strawberry jam infused with Earl Grey Tea

1.4 kg hulled and chopped strawberries
1 kg sugar
2 lemons' juice and zest
2 (85ml) packets of liquid pectins
200 ml water
5 Premium Earl Grey tea bags
5 to 6 250ml sanitized jars

Makes 5 (250ml) jars

In a nonreactive bowl, combine the chopped strawberries with 200g sugar. Let the mixture sit at room temperature until the sugar begins to pull the liquid out of the berries, about 15 to 30 minutes, then cover and refrigerate overnight.

When you're ready to make the jam. Boil the 200ml water to 100°C/212°F, then steep the tea bags for 3 minutes.

Remove the macerated strawberries from the fridge and pour everything into a large, nonreactive pot. Add the remaining 800g sugar, Earl Grey tea and tea bags, lemon juice and zest, stir to continue. Bring to a boil over high heat (be careful that this mixture will foam madly), cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring regularly, until it becomes a thick syrupy consistency.

Remove the tea bags from the mixture. You can blend the mixture with an immersion blender or transfer about a third of the jam to a blender and purée, then return the purée to the pot.

Add the pectin to the mixture and bring to a rolling boil. Insert your candy thermometer into the jam and attach it to the side of the pot. Let the jam boil vigorously until it reache 220°F/105°C.

Once the jam reach 220°F/105°C and remains at that temperature for 2 minutes, remove thepot from the heat and ladle the jam into your prepared jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

Store the jams in a cool place and refrigerate once open.

To learn more about preserving fruits, I recommend this book.