Citrus Pavlova Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C (350 degrees F)/gas mark 4 and line a baking tray with baking parchment.
• Beat the egg whites until satiny peaks form, then beat in the sugar a spoonful at a time until the meringue is stiff and shiny.
• Sprinkle the cornflour (cornstarch) over the meringue, then grate in the zest--a fine microplane is best for this--of 1 lemon and add 2 teaspoons of lemon juice.
• Gently fold until everything is thoroughly mixed. Mound onto the lined baking tray in a fat circle approximately 23 centimeters (10 inches) in diameter, smoothing the sides and the top with a knife or spatula.
• Place in the oven, then immediately turn the temperature down to 150 degrees C(300 degrees F) /gas mark 2, and cook for 1 hour.
• Remove from the oven and leave to cool, but don't leave it anywhere cold as this will make it crack too quickly. If you think your kitchen is too cool, then leave the pavlova inside the oven with the door completely open. When you're ready to eat, turn the pavlova onto a large flat plate or board with the underside uppermost--I do this before I sit down to the meal in question and let it stand till pudding time. This is so the tender marshmallow belly of the pav melds with the soft topping.
• Toast the flaked almonds, by frying them in a dry pan over a medium to high heat until they have started to colour. Shake the pan at regular intervals and don't let them burn. This doesn't take more than a minute or so. When they're done, remove to a cold plate so that they don't carry on cooking.
• Whip the cream until thick and airy but still with a soft voluptuousness about it, and set it aside for a mo.
• Put the lemon curd into a bowl and beat it with a wooden spoon or spatula to loosen it a little. Taste the lemon curd (if it's shop-bought) and add some lemon zest and a spritz of juice if it's too sweet.
• With a light hand, a glad heart and a spatula, spread the lemon curd on top of the meringue base. Now top with the whipped cream, peaking it rather as if it were a meringue topping. Sprinkle with the zest of the remaining lemon--you can grate this finely or coarsely as you wish--followed by the flaked almonds, and serve triumphantly.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Trace a 9-inch circle on a piece of parchment. Transfer, traced-side down, to a baking sheet.
• Pavlova: Stir together sugar and cornstarch. In the bowl of a mixer, beat egg whites with lemon juice and salt on low speed until frothy. Increase speed to medium-high and gradually add sugar mixture, beating until stiff, glossy peaks form, 10 to 12 minutes. Adhere corners of parchment to sheet with tiny dollops of meringue, then mound rest of meringue in center of circle on parchment. Using a large spoon, spread to edges of circle, leaving a well approximately 5 inches wide and 1 inch deep in center.
• Bake until crisp and dry on outside but not developing any color, 1 hour, 10 minutes to 1 hour, 20 minutes. Turn oven off (do not open door); let cool in oven until dry and crisp on outside, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.
• Curd: Combine cranberries, sugar, orange juice, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until cranberries burst and collapse, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in butter until melted. Strain mixture through a medium-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing on solids to remove as much liquid as possible; discard solids. In another bowl, whisk together egg and yolks. Slowly whisk 1 cup of cranberry mixture into egg mixture; return to pot with remaining cranberry mixture and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened and beginning to sputter, about 6 minutes. Let cool completely, then press plastic wrap directly on surface and refrigerate in an airtight container until cold, at least 2 hours and up to 5 days.
• Serving: Whisk cream, vanilla, and orange-blossom water to soft peaks. Fill well of meringue with curd. Dollop cream over curd; top with citrus supremes and gooseberries. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Pavlovas: Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until thick, about 2 minutes. With the machine on medium-high speed, gradually add the sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time. Add the salt, cream of tartar and lemon zest. Increase the speed to high and beat until the mixture holds stiff peaks, about 3 to 4 minutes. Drop 8 (1/2) cupfuls of the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Using the back of a spoon make a 1 1/2-inch diameter well in the center of each meringue. Bake for 2 hours. Turn off the oven and allow the meringues to cool completely in the oven for 2 hours. Store airtight in a plastic container for up to 1 week.
• Berries: In a small bowl, toss together the berries, sugar and lemon juice. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• Cream: In a small bowl, mix together the cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth.
• Assembly: Put the meringues on small plates and spoon a dollop of the mascarpone cream into the wells. Top with the berries and serve.
• Cook's Note: If using blueberries, gently mash them with a fork before mixing with the sugar and lemon juice.
• Cook's Note: The meringue mixture can also be placed in a pastry bag fitted with a large, plain tip (recommended: Ateco # 9808) and piped onto the baking sheet.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees F.
• Place a sheet of parchment paper on a sheet pan. Draw a 9-inch circle on the paper, using a 9-inch plate as a guide, then turn the paper over so the circle is on the reverse side. (This way you won't get a pencil mark on the meringue.)
• Place the egg whites and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat the egg whites on high speed until firm, about 1 minute. With the mixer still on high, slowly add the sugar and beat until it makes firm, shiny peaks, about 2 minutes.
• Remove the bowl from the mixer, sift the cornstarch onto the beaten egg whites, add the vinegar and vanilla, and fold in lightly with a rubber spatula. Pile the meringue into the middle of the circle on the parchment paper and smooth it within the circle, making a rough disk. Bake for 1 1/2 hours. Turn off the oven, keep the door closed, and allow the meringue to cool completely in the oven, about 1 hour. It will be crisp on the outside and soft on the inside.
• Invert the meringue disk onto a plate and spread the top completely with sweetened whipped cream. Combine the strawberries, blueberries and raspberries in a bowl and toss with about 1/2 cup of raspberry sauce, or enough to coat the berries lightly. Spoon the berries carefully into the middle of the Pavlova, leaving a border of cream and meringue. Serve immediately in large scoops with extra raspberry sauce.
• Sweetened Whipped Cream:
• Whip the cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (you can also use a hand mixer). When it starts to thicken, add the sugar and vanilla and continue to beat until firm. Don't overbeat!
• Yield: 1 cup
• Triple Raspberry Sauce:
• Place the raspberries, sugar and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 4 minutes. Pour the cooked raspberries, the jam, and framboise into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and process until smooth. Chill.
• Yield: 2 cups

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Invert a small bowl onto the parchment paper and trace the rim with a pencil. Repeat twice more. Flip parchment paper over.
• Beat egg whites in a large bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks begin to form. Gradually add white sugar, with the mixer running. Whisk superfine sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Gradually beat into the meringue. Continue beating meringue until stiff, glossy peaks form. Beat in orange blossom water and vinegar.
• Spoon meringue into the traced circles. Make the borders higher than the center, to leave room for the filling.
• Bake meringues in the preheated oven until firm and dry to the touch, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, make the lemon curd. Fill a medium saucepan with 1 inch of water and bring to a bare simmer.
• Whisk lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar, egg yolks, and salt together in a glass bowl. Set the bowl over the simmering water. Cook, whisking constantly, until curd foams, then thickens, about 10 minutes. Remove the bowl from the simmering water. Gradually whisk in coconut oil until melted and incorporated.
• Strain the curd through a fine-mesh sieve; discard solids left in the strainer. Press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Transfer to the refrigerator.
• Turn off oven and keep meringues inside until completely dry, about 1 hour.
• Combine heavy cream, confectioners' sugar, and orange blossom water in a bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until soft peaks form.
• Spoon lemon curd into the center of the cooled meringues. Mound whipped cream over the curd. Arrange grapefruit, orange, and persimmon slices on top. Sprinkle pomegranate seeds over the top.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Draw a 9-inch circle on the parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Gradually add in the sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat until thick and glossy. Gently fold in vanilla extract, lemon juice, and cornstarch.
• Spoon mixture inside the circle drawn on the parchment paper. Working from the center, spread mixture toward the outside edge, building edge slightly. This should leave a slight depression in the center.
• Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a wire rack.
• In a small bowl, beat heavy cream until stiff peaks form; set aside. Remove the paper, and place meringue on a flat serving plate. Fill the center of the meringue with whipped cream, and top with kiwifruit slices.