Christmas Pavlova Wreath

/in /by

Pavlova is a dessert made with egg whites, similar to meringue. It is different from meringue because it contains corn starch and vinegar to ensure the inner is marshmallowy. It is topped with whipped cream and fresh fruit.

Credit by Lucy Parissi

Ingredients

  • ⅔ cup | 170g pasteurised egg whites (from a carton) or from 5-6 large eggs
  • 1 ¼ cups | 255g granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla paste or extract¼ tsp cream of tartar
  • ▢⅙ tsp salt

To fill /decorate

  • 2 cups | 480ml heavy cream double cream
  • 1 cup | 100g powdered sugar (icing sugar)
  • 1 tsp vanilla paste or extract
  • Selection of fresh fruit to decorate about 10½ oz / 300g
  • Powdered sugar to dust
  • Mint leaves to garnish

Steps

  1. Preheat the oven to 120C / 250 F. Trace a 7in circle on a piece of baking paper. Spray a heavy baking sheet with cake release spray and line with the paper (this is to prevent the paper from moving around later).
  2. Put all the ingredients in the bowl of your stand mixer and briefly mix together with a balloon whisk.
  3. Place the bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water (double boiler method) ensuring the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water.
  4. Stir constantly with your balloon whisk until the sugar dissolves and the egg whites are 80C /175F if checked with a thermometer. If you haven’t got a thermometer check the mixture with your fingers – the sugar should be dissolved and not feel gritty.
  5. Fit the bowl in your stand mixer and start whisking at high speed for 5-10 minutes until the meringue is glossy and holds firm peaks.
  6. Use two large spoons to scoop the meringue onto the tray to create a wreath shape.
  7. BAKE FOR 10 MINUTES THEN REDUCE OVEN TEMPERATURE to 90°C (195°F). Bake for a further 80 minutes without opening the oven door. Turn the oven off and leave the pavlova inside the oven cool completely for several hours or overnight.
  8. Carefully transfer the wreath onto a platter (it will be quite fragile). If it breaks apart simply put the puzzle pieces back together!
  9. Whisk the cream, icing sugar and vanilla paste at low speed, gradually increasing speed to medium until the cream forms soft peaks.
  10. Spoon the cream over the pavlova.
  11. Top the cream with a selection of fresh fruit such as strawberries, figs, pomegranate seeds.
  12. Dust with icing sugar, decorate with mint leaves and serve immediately.