What a Pavlova

November 30, 2022 By

If you have the time and inclination, you can create a wonderful Pavlova for any occasion. Without any of the perceived palaver. Perfect all year round, you can use whatever is in-season fruit-wise or make it even easier and cheat with frozen berries or tinned.

We’ve sometimes skipped the making meringue part and used shop-bought individual rounds or those large circular meringue bases.

To up the ante, seeing as it’s nearly Christmas, why not transform your usual pavlova for a Christmas theme with the addition of clementines, chopped pistachios, mint and dark chocolate, plus Cointreau-infused cream filling? Ready, let’s go.

Ingredients

  • Four satsumas or clementines, peeled, pith removed and cut into thin rounds crosswise
  • 25g shelled pistachios, chopped
  • 25g dark chocolate, grated
  • a small handful of mint leaves
  • One orange, zested

For the meringue

  • Four egg whites
  • 275g caster sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp cornflour
  • 1 tsp white wine vinegar

For the cream

  • 400ml double cream or vegan alternative
  • 2 tbsp icing sugar, plus extra to serve
  • 2 tbsp of Cointreau. You can also use rum or brandy
  • 6 tbsp vegetarian sweet mincemeat

Method

  • STEP 1 – Heat the oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 1. For the meringue, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. With the motor running at a medium-high speed, add the sugar, 1 tbsp at a time, making sure it’s well combined and stiff again before adding more. Continue whisking until all the sugar has been incorporated and the meringue looks stiff and glossy and holds tall peaks when the beaters are lifted. Briefly whisk in the vanilla, cornflour and vinegar.

  • STEP 2 – Spoon the meringue onto a baking sheet lined with baking parchment, and smooth out into a roughly 21cm circle about 4-5cm deep. Bake for 1 hr 30 mins, then turn off the oven and leave the meringue inside with the oven door closed to dry out and cool completely, about 2 hrs.

  • STEP 3 – For the cream, whip the cream, sugar and rum or brandy together until just starting to thicken. Fold the mincemeat gently to create a marble effect, then spoon the cream over the cooled meringue. Top with the satsuma slices, chopped pistachios, grated chocolate, mint leaves and orange zest. Dust with a little icing sugar to finish.

OR

Skip STEPS 1 and 2 above and take your pre-baked and bought meringue bases, and jump to STEP 3

Enjoy!