Ask any Aussie or Kiwi the birthplace of Pavlova and you'll get two different answers and possibly an argument. The true origins may never be known, but we do know this delicious meringue-based dessert is named after Russian ballerina, Anna Pavlova, as a tribute during one of her tours in the 1920s. Typically eaten during the holidays and made with strawberries or mixed berries, our pavlova uses Pumpkin Curd and is topped with toasted pecans and shaved chocolate! It's the perfect Fall time sweet!
Serves: 6-8
Prep time: 25 minutes
Bake time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Cooling time: 1 hour+
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 cup caster or superfine sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp lemon juice or white vinegar
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- Pinch of salt
Topping
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 - 1 cup Paradigm Pumpkin Curd
- 1/4 cup pecans, toasted and roughly chopped
- 2-3 oz dark or semi-sweet chocolate, shaved or finely grated
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 250°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Draw an 8-inch circle on the parchment as a guide, then turn the paper over.
- Wipe down your bowl (glass or stainless steel) with bit of lemon juice on a paper towel to make sure no residual fat is present; Using a hand-held or stand mixer, beat the egg whites and a pinch of salt on medium speed until soft peaks form – 2 to 5 minutes. Gradually add the sugar, about a tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until the meringue is glossy and holds stiff peaks.
- Gently fold in the vanilla, lemon juice, and cornstarch.
- Spoon the meringue onto the parchment, using the circle as a guide. Build up the sides slightly to create a shallow well in the center for the toppings.
- Bake for 75 minutes, then turn off the oven and leave the pavlova inside with the door closed for at least 1 hour, preferably until completely cool. The outside should be crisp while the center remains soft and marshmallowy.
- Beat the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until soft peaks form. Don't overbeat.
- Carefully transfer the cooled pavlova to a serving platter. Spoon Paradigm Pumpkin Curd generously over the center of the pavlova. Top with the whipped cream, then sprinkle with toasted pecans and finish with generous shavings of dark or semi-sweet chocolate.
Serving tip:
For the best result, assemble the pavlova just before serving. The crisp meringue, pillowy whipped cream, silky pumpkin curd, crunchy pecans, and bittersweet chocolate make this a beautiful fall dessert that's as impressive as it is easy.
