Recipes
How to make Figs and Roses Pavlova?
June - 18 - 2017
6
Preparation: 6
Cooking: 120
By Lara Samawi.
6
Preparation: 6
Cooking: 120
Ingredients
3 egg whites a pinch of salt 100g white sugar 50g soft brown sugar 1 tsp. white vinegar 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1 tbsp. corn flour / corn starch For garnish: 200ml cream 1½ tsp rosewater 3 fresh figs, sliced seeds of 1 pomegranate 50g pistachios, roughly crushed dried rose petals (optional)
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Cut a large piece of baking paper to the size of your baking sheet. Use a plate (the one you will be serving the pavlova in) to trace an 18-20cm circle onto the baking paper with a pen or pencil; this will help guide you when shaping the meringue. Flip the baking paper over and place it onto the baking sheet so that the pencil marking is on the bottom and not in contact with the food. Set aside.
- In a large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk, whisk the egg whites with the pinch of salt on medium speed until foamy.
- In a small bowl, whisk the sugars together, and start adding the mixture one tablespoon at a time to the foamy egg whites while mixing continuously and beating well after each addition. Keep going until you have added all the sugar, turn the mixer up to high and whisk until the meringue is very fluffy, shiny and stiff and the sugar has dissolved completely. Test a small amount between your fingers, there should be no gritty sugar crystals, if there still is, continue whisking for a couple more minutes. The mixture should be glossy and the meringue should stay firm and form a stiff peak when the whisk/beaters are turned upside down.
- Add the vinegar and vanilla and sift the corn flour over the meringue and mix for a few seconds until just combined, then switch off the mixer.
- Dab a small amount of the meringue onto the baking sheet underneath the baking paper in each corner to help keep it in place, which will make the paper stick to the baking sheet better and not move around while you are trying to shape the pavlova. Pile the meringue onto the center, inside the circle you have drawn. Using an offset spatula (or a knife) shape the meringue into a round disk, smoothing the top and the sides while keeping it a couple of centimeters smaller than the circle (it will expand when baking). You can make swirls in any shape you like, it doesn’t have to be neat at all!
- Place the pavlova into the oven and immediately turn the temperature down to 120C (250F). Bake for 2 hours, then switch the oven off and leave the pavlova inside the oven with the oven door slightly ajar until cooled completely, about 3 hours. I like to wedge the handle of a wooden spoon into the oven door to keep it slightly open. Once cooled, remove onto your serving plate.
- When ready to serve, whip the cream with the rosewater using an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Pile the cream onto the pavlova, then decorate with the figs, pomegranate seeds, pistachio and rose petals (if using) and serve immediately.
Lara Samawi
Lara Samawi is an Architect and Interior Designer from Jordan, she is the Founder of the food blog Dates with Lara. She... more
