RASPBERRY PAVLOVA

It’s been a long time coming, but this recipe for Raspberry Pavlova is worth wait!  Crisp on the outside and pillowy soft on the inside the Pavlova meringue is topped with a delicous raspberry sauce, dark chocolate and passionfruit. 

Easy to make and serve, a Raspberry Pavlova is a show stopper in any season and for any holiday

I had no idea as I boarded the plane to Europe at the end of November 2023 that I had written my last post for the year.  Indeed, it never crossed my mind that it would be the middle of January 2024 before I sat down at my desk to share a recipe with you!  Our eight day trip down the Rhine, visiting Christmas Markets along the way, segued into a hectic and lovely December filled with more grandchildren and family then I could ever have imagined.  It was so much fun!  But it ended in one of the worst colds Rick and I have either experienced in a long time.  Putting me here, January 14^th and just getting around to sharing this recipe with you.

Our Raspberry Pavlova was enjoyed on December 25^th. But it’s a timeless dessert that can, and should, be shared any time of the year.  This one was made with raspberries and passion fruit and topped with chocolate, a pairing which will work well for Valentines’ Day (if you are looking for a special dessert to share). But almost any season fruit or mixture of fruits will be equally delicious.

It starts with a meringue.  The exterior should be crunchy and the interior a soft, pillowy, melt-in-the-mouth bite of sweetness.

Next comes a layer of whipped cream and finally a topping of fresh fruit or fruit puree.

While the components of this confection can be made a day or two ahead, the Pavlova itself should be eaten within two-three hours of its assembly.  I would note however that no one here had any trouble eating the leftovers the next day with anything less than full-hearted enjoyment!

Make the Meringue:

The meringue base needs to be made at least eight hours in advance in order for it to cool properly.  Once baked, it should stay in the oven with the door ajar until the oven and meringue are fully cooled.

Start whipping your eggs whites and when they are frothy add a little salt and cream of tartar. These will help stabilize the egg whites.  Continue beating until they have reached a “soft peak”.  When you lift up the beater the eggs will form a peak the top of which will flop over.

The finished meringue will be glossy with soft peaks that fall over slightly

The next step is to add sugar, a little bit at a time.  The objective is to let the sugar dissolve in egg whites so you don’t have a grainy texture in your meringue.  It’s best to use the finest sugar you can get, often called caster sugar or quick dissolving sugar. Don’t kill yourself looking for this. I have made perfectly acceptable meringues using regular white sugar.  Add the sugar slowly, a tablespoon at a time.  It should take you about 6-8 minutes to add all the sugar.

Once the sugar is added, drop the meringue in spoonfuls onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet on which you have traced a 9”-10” circle, making a sort of merinque wreath.  Use a spatula if you want to smooth the edges of the meringue.

LArge dollops of meringue for a ring. Use a spatula to smooth the merignue if desired.

Place the meringue in the center of a preheated oven and bake until it is dry, about 90 minutes.  Then turn the oven off and leave the meringue inside overnight or until the oven is completely cool.

Make the Raspberry Sauce

In a small saucepan heat raspberries, sugar and water to boiling. Add a paste you have made of cornstarch and water and continue boiling over until the mixture has thickened.

Stir in some butter for added richness and cool about 15 minute before adding more whole raspberries. Let this cool completely and refrigerate until needed.

Assemble the Pavlova:

Place the meringue ring on a plate or platter.  Whip thick cream, and sugar together until thick. Spread some of the whip cream over the top of the meringue and top it with passionfruit.  Cover the passionfruit with the remaining whipped cream, spreading it down the sides.  Decorate with fresh raspberries and chopped or curled dark chocolate.

To serve, place a large spoonful on the Pavlova on a plate and cover with Raspberry sauce.

Top the finished Palova with fresh raspberries and serve with raspberry sauce

Print

RASPBERRY PAVLOVA

Author Susan Murray, www.awomancooksinasheville.com

Ingredients

For the Meringue

• 6 eggs whites room temperature
• 1 ½ cup caster sugar
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp cream of tarter

For the Raspberry Sauce

• 2 ½ c frozen raspberries
• ¾ c sugar
• ½ c water
• ½ tsp vanilla
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp butter
• Pinch salt

To Assemble the Cake

• 1 ¼ cups heavy cream
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1-2 tbsp powdered sugar
• 6 passion fruits pulp and seeds (optional)
• Fresh raspberries
• 1-2 oz good quality chocolate

Instructions

MAKE THE MERINGUE

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Trace a 9”-10” circle on a piece of parchment paper. Place the parchment paper on a baking tray.
2. In the bowl of a mixer beat the egg white until they become foamy. Beat in the salt and cream of tartar. Continue beating until the egg whites form soft peaks. Slowly add the sugar a tablespoon at a time , beating well after each addition. It should take 6-8 minutes to incorporate all the sugar.
3. Use a large spoon to drop dollops of the egg mixture on the parchment paper circle. If you like, smooth the surface of the meringue with a spatula.
4. Bake the meringue on the center rack of the oven for about 1 ½ hours. Watch that the meringue does not brown. The exterior should be dry. Turn the oven off and leave the pavlova in the oven with the door ajar overnight, or until the oven (and the pavlova) is completely cool.
5. If not serving the pavlova right away, store in an airtight container for one-three days.

MAKE THE RASPBERRY SAUCE

1. While the meringue is baking make the raspberry sauce.
2. In a medium pan, stir together 1 ½ c raspberries, ¾ c sugar and ½ c water. Heat over low to medium heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Continue to heat to a boil, stirring to keep the sides and bottom from burning. Make a thin paste out of the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water. Stir this into the raspberry mixture. Reduce the heat to medium-low or low and continue to boil slowly until mixture has thickened. This can take as much as four minutes.
3. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter. Continue to stir until the butter has melted. Add the salt and vanilla and cool for fifteen minutes. Add the rest of the raspberries and cool. Store in the refrigerator until needed.

ASSEMBLE THE PAVLOVA

1. Whip the heavy cream until thick. Whip in the vanilla and powdered sugar to taste.
2. Remove the pulp from the passion fruits if using them.
3. Grate the chocolate or use a peeler to make curls.
4. Spread a layer of whipped cream on top of the meringue. Top with passion fruit (optional). If you are not using passionfruit, spread all of the whipped cream over the tops and sides of the meringue.
5. Decorate with fresh raspberries and chocolate. Serve with raspberry sauce on top.
6. The Pavlova is best eaten within three hours or so of assembly. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.