Coconut Pavlovas with Tropical Fruits and Ice Cream

Ingredients

• 0.3 teaspoon almond extract 
• 0.3 teaspoon cream of tartar 
• 3  egg whites 
• 0.1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 1 cup mangos cubed peeled
• 1 cup orange sections 
• 2 cups pineapple fresh cubed (1-inch)
• 2 tablespoons rum white
• 0.7 cup sugar 
• 2 tablespoons sugar 
• 0.3 cup cherries dried sweet
• 0.5 cup coconut or sweetened flaked toasted

Equipment

• bowl
• baking sheet
• baking paper
• oven
• blender

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 25
2. Combine first 7 ingredients in a bowl; stir well, and set aside.
3. Place parchment paper over a large baking sheet. Draw 6 (4-inch) circles on parchment paper. Turn parchment paper over, and secure with masking tape.
4. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar with a mixer at high speed until foamy.
5. Add extract; beat well. Gradually add 2/3 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Fold coconut into egg white mixture. Divide egg white mixture evenly among the 6 drawn circles. Shape meringues into nests with 1-inch sides using the back of a spoon.
6. Bake at 250 for 1 hour or until dry. Turn oven off; cool meringue nests in closed oven at least 4 hours. Carefully remove meringue nests from paper.
7. Spoon 1/4 cup ice cream, if desired, into each meringue nest, and top with about 2/3 cup fruit mixture.
8. Garnish with mint sprigs, if desired.