As I sit down to write this blog post, people around the world are already kicking off their New Year celebrations at different times and in their own ways!
This year I've decided on a sweet end to the year with a gloriously rich winter version of my classic Pavlova . . . topped with slightly baked apples and pears spiced with cinnamon and caramelized walnuts!
Whatever you are doing . . . I'd like to take this opportunity to wish you all a Happy, Healthy & Prosperous New Year . . . and hopefully a sweet one too!
Pavlova Recipe . . .
Ingredients
6 egg-whites from large eggs - room temperature
Pinch of salt
2 cups (4 dl) sugar
1 ½ tsp vanilla essence
Parchment paper and a little bit of olive oil
Topping # 1 (Gloriously Rich Classic Pavlova)
1 ½ cup ( 3 dl ) whipping cream
1 tblsp confectionery (icing) sugar
2 tblsp orange liqueur (optional)
½ kg or 1 lb or more of fresh sliced fruit and berries of your choice
Topping #2 (Gloriously Rich Winter Pavlova)
4 large Apples + 2 large Pears peeled, cored and sliced
Fresh lemon juice
3 tblsp sugar
1tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground cloves
A few tiny dollops of butter (optional)
1 ½ cup ( 3 dl ) whipping cream
Preparation Method
Using a 23 cm (9”) plate as a guide, draw a circle on parchment paper and place on a baking sheet. Brush parchment paper with olive oil. This will prevent your Pavlova from sticking to the paper when baked.
Using an electric mixer, at high speed, beat the egg-whites with a pinch of salt until they form stiff peaks. Lower speed slightly and add the sugar a tablespoon at a time. Mix in the vanilla essence.
Heap the egg-white mixture onto the middle of the parchment paper circle and with a spatula mold up the sides. This will create an indentation in the middle where you will place your topping once the Pavlova is baked.
Place immediately in a pre-heated oven, 150C/ 130C fan, and bake from 40 - 60 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow Pavlova to cool completely inside the oven. Remove from oven and carefully discard the parchment paper. Place on an attractive serving dish and set aside.
When ready to serve, whip the cream until thick, add the confectionery sugar, liqueur (optional) and mix.
Pile sweetened cream onto the center of the Pavlova and top with fruit or other filling of your choice.
Yield: 12 generous servings
Tips!
On a humid day, add 1 full tsp of cornstarch to your meringue. This will prevent it from “bleeding” too much!
For the diet conscious, omit the sweetened whipped cream and top meringue with slightly whisked Greek yogurt (0%) and fruit or fruit only.
If you like, drizzle with berry syrup or caramel sauce/syrup (apple/pear version) and or spoon sweets of your choice!
Caramelized walnuts are also really nice for an extra rich apple/pear topping
For Topping #2 (Gloriously Rich Winter Pavlova)
Preparation Method
Place sliced apples & pears into a bowl with fresh lemon juice. Mix a little and then drain off any extra lemon juice.
Mix sugar with cinnamon and cloves and then sprinkle over fruit and mix carefully.
Place fruit on a baking sheet (that has been covered with parchment/baking paper) and top with dollops of butter (optional). Place into hot oven for a few minutes or until fruit is slightly cooked. Once cooked to your liking, set aside to cool.
When ready to serve, whip the cream until thick. Pile cream onto the center of the Pavlova and top with partially cooked fruit.
© KaritasM - December 2016