PAVLOVA TOPPED WITH LEMON CURD CREAM, MANGO AND PASSIONFRUIT
Recipe
The Pav is one of Australia’s favourite summer desserts For an end of meal delight, here it is topped with a rich lemon curd – made with the leftover yolks – swirled through whipped cream, then crowned with sliced fresh seasonal mango and a drizzle of passionfruit pulp.
Start with the freshest eggs, follow the instructions and you’ll be rewarded with a crisp meringue crust and cloud-like marshmallow centre.
Serves 8
Preheat oven to 160ºC (140°C fan-forced). Line a baking tray with baking paper. Using a 20cm diameter plate or cake tin to trace around, draw a circle on the paper.
Using an electric mixer, whisk the egg whites on the medium setting in a clean bowl until soft peaks start to form. At this point continue whisking, while slowly adding the caster sugar a spoonful at a time, until all the sugar is incorporated. Increase speed to high and whisk for about 5 minutes until the meringue is firm, glossy and silky. Sift the cornflour over the meringue. Add the lemon juice and gently fold with a spatula into the meringue mixture, to just combine.
Spoon the mixture into a pile in the centre of the circle on the baking paper. Gently flatten the top, shaping mixture into a 20cm round. To create decorative sides, using the back of a spoon, gently swipe up from the base, working all the way round. Place in the oven and immediately reduce oven to 110ºC (90°C fan-forced). Cook for 1 ½ hours. Turn off the oven and leave the pavlova in it to cool completely, at least 6 hours.
When ready to serve, gently fold about ½ cup of lemon curd into the whipped cream. Spoon the cream mixture on top of the pavlova, then dollop around two or three extra teaspoonfuls of curd. Carefully create a swirled effect with the curd and cream with a spoon. Top with the mango slices. Drizzle over the passionfruit pulp.
LEMON CURD
Makes 1 cup
4 reserved egg yolks
75g caster sugar
100ml freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
75g unsalted butter
Whisk the yolks and sugar together in a medium saucepan to combine well. Stir in the lemon juice and zest. Add the butter. Place the saucepan over a medium heat and continue to stir for about 5 minutes until butter melts, the mixture thickens and just begins to bubble. Remove from heat immediately and transfer to a sterilised jar. When cooled, refrigerate. This will keep for up to two weeks.
Ingredients
4-5 egg whites (you need 120g), reserve the yolks
240g (1 cup + 2 tablespoons) caster sugar
2 teaspoons cornflour
2 teaspoons lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
2 mangoes, peeled and flesh thinly sliced
2 passionfruit, cut in half and scrape pulp into a small bowl
½ cup Lemon curd (see recipe below)
300ml thickened cream, whipped until firm peaks form
