Pavlovas are almost inextricably linked with Australian cuisine, though the origin is ultimately Austrian. Regardless, this is an excellent cold Christmas dessert. Particularly great if you’re in a hot country or the global south. For a proper Christmas influence the filling contains suet-less mincemeat. This is also a great make-ahead dessert as the meringue can be prepared up to a week in advance if stored in an air-tight tin.
Prep time: 35 minutes/Cook time: 210 minutes/Serves 6-8 (+2 hours cooling)
Ingredients:
4 satsumas or clementines, peeled, pith removed and cut into thin rounds crosswise
25g shelled pistachios, chopped
25g dark chocolate, grated
small handful of mint leaves
finely-grated zest of 1 orange
For the meringue:
4 egg whites
275g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp cornflour
1 tsp white wine vinegar
For the cream:
400ml double cream
2 tbsp icing sugar, plus extra to serve
2 tbsp rum or brandy
6 tbsp suet-less mincemeat
Method:
Begin by pre-heating your oven to 140C (120C fan/280F/gas mark 1).
For the meringue, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. With the motor running at a medium-high speed, add the sugar, 1 tbsp at a time, making sure it’s well combined and stiff again before adding more. Continue whisking until all the sugar has been incorporated and the meringue looks stiff, glossy and holds tall peaks when the beaters are lifted. Briefly whisk in the vanilla, cornflour and vinegar.
Spoon the meringue onto a baking sheet lined with baking parchment, and smooth out into a roughly 21cm circle that’s about 4-5cm deep. Bake for 1 hr 30 mins, then turn off the oven and leave the meringue inside with the oven door closed to dry out and cool completely, about 2 hrs.
For the cream, whip the cream, sugar and rum or brandy together until just starting to thicken. Fold in the mincemeat gently to create a marble effect, then spoon the cream over the cooled meringue. Top with the satsuma slices, chopped pistachios, grated chocolate, mint leaves and orange zest. Dust with a little icing sugar to finish.
