Hosted by Robin Sussingham
Southern Living Magazine has featured the Junior League of Tampa’s Florida Orange Grove pie consistently for the last six decades. It’s been a favorite since 1961 and has won several awards, including the grand prize in an All-Florida Orange Dessert Contest.
This pie starts with a pavlova-style base. A pavlova is a meringue dessert that has the addition of an acid, such as vinegar or cream of tartar, and cornflour. The acid and cornflour serve as stabilizers for the eggs. These two ingredients help to soften the center unlike a meringue which is solid throughout. This recipe does not have the cornflour but the cream of tartar does the job.
Traditional pavlovas are baked and then left to cool in the oven before removing. This prevents it from deflating. After baking, the base is crispy outside with a softer, more marshmallow-like center.
Stephanie Haas shares how to make the pie and talks about some adaptations. Robin compares the filling to a pudding and all agree that it simply wonderful.
“I really like how smooshy it is inside the meringue. It has a nice hard outside but the inside is almost like a really soft candy… it’s super delicious and there’s something for everyone,”
– Stephanie Haas