Remember my last recipe, those Sticky Rice Cakes with the salt-cured yolks and peanut butter inside? It left me with 8 orphaned egg whites so had no choice but to at least use up 4 of them in this Pavlova. Twist my rubber arm...
Pavlovas don't normally come to mind in the winter since they are generally regarded as a summer dessert. I always questioned the sense in that though? High humidity is the serial murderer of pavlovas. Sure there are other factors that could undermine your pavlova, such as whites contaminated with yolks or grease / water in the mixing bowl, but I assert that weather is public enemy number one since it is not a factor you get to control.
When you're looking for that perfect crispy exterior that yields into a marshmallow-y center, but the day you're serving it to a large group of people turns out to be a hot and rainy day in August with 35% humidex, a Plan B would have been wise. That was my first time baking meringue, almost ten years ago. I made four dozen mini pavlovas topped with whipped cream and strawberries that were perfect and beautiful. I ever so carefully transferred them to my brother-in-law's store opening but midway through the party, the mini pavlovas turned into tragic little puddles of mush.
I learned a lesson that evening I won't easily forget - humiliation tends to leave a mark, doesn't it? So when the thought of making a pavlova popped into my head last week, I finally found the ONE SILVER LINING of this dreadfully frigid winter in Toronto: no risk of humidity!
Apart from the dry weather being in my favor, I also thought how perfect to feature my most beloved winter citruses in this stunning dessert - Meyer lemons and blood oranges. If these varieties are not accessible for you or not currently in season, regular lemons (for the curd) and navel oranges (for the top) make excellent substitutions.
When you read the recipe, you'll see that the lemon curd is slightly healthier than traditional curds since it uses honey as the sweetener and ghee as the fat (or else I suggest grass-fed organic butter). I love how the sweet-tartness of citrus balances the sweet meringue! Isn't it all just so lovely to look at? It's even lovelier to taste.
NOTES / MAKE IN ADVANCE:
- Meringue: It's preferable to bake the meringue in advance and allow it to cool down while still inside the oven overnight or as long as you can. The slow cooling down actually helps prevent collapsing and cracking.
- Meyer lemon curd: The curd can be made ahead and kept refrigerated in an air-tight container for a week. If Meyer lemons are not in season, you can substitute regular lemon.
- Castor sugar: Aka superfine sugar can be store-bought or made by whizzing granulated sugar in the food processor until very fine.
Winter Pavlova with Meyer Lemon Curd
{ gluten-free, dairy-free }
INGREDIENTS
For the Meyer Lemon Curd (makes ~1/2 C):
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
3 tbsp honey
Zest of 1 Meyer lemon
1/4 C (60ml) fresh Meyer lemon juice, from about 2-3 Meyer lemons (or can sub regular lemons)
Pinch sea salt
3 tbsp ghee (or grass-fed organic butter if dairy is not an issue)
For the meringue:
4 large fridge-cold egg whites (preferably weighed on a scale for 5 oz of whites)
1 C (220g) superfine (caster) sugar
1 tsp white vinegar OR pinch cream of tartar
For topping the pavlova:
1/2 C Meyer lemon curd from above
1-2 blood oranges, peel cut off and cut into 1/4" thick slices (or can substitute regular oranges)
Assorted in-season berries, washed and dried
METHOD
Prepare the mixing bowl / whisk and separate the egg whites: Take out a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer and the whisk attachment. Make sure both are completely clean and free of any grease or water. While the eggs are still cold, separate the whites from the yolk, being very careful not to get a single drop of yolk in your whites. If you feel the need to be extra careful, separate one egg at a time into a small bowl first and only place the white in your stand mixer bowl once you're successful. Any whites contaminated with yolk is better used for breakfast scramble. Allow the egg whites to come to room temperature - this will help them be fluffier when you whisk them.
Meanwhile, make the curd: Heat and whisk all the curd ingredients in a small pot over low heat. Once the ghee (or butter) has completely melted, increase the heat to medium-low and cook 5-7 minutes or until tiny bubbles surface, stirring frequently. Strain over a sieve and set aside. The curd will thicken further as it cools. If making in advance, store refrigerated in an air-tight container until ready to use.
Prepare the meringue: Preheat oven to 350f. Draw an 8" circle on one of a parchment paper and flip it drawn-side down on a baking sheet. Whisk the egg whites on high (level 8 on stand mixer) until soft peaks which means the peaks are just starting to hold and doesn't stand on their own (this provides a great visual guide for soft, medium, firm peaks). Add the sugar in by the spoonful as you continue whisking. After all the sugar is in, continue beating for 2-3 minutes more until thick and glossy, and the sugar is completely dissolved - confirm by rubbing a bit between your fingers and there should be no grit. Stir in vinegar or cream of tartar and mix well.
Form and bake the meringue: Dab a bit of meringue on four corners of the underside of the prepared parchment to keep it from lifting up when you form the pavlova. Scoop about half the meringue onto the center of the drawn circle and begin shaping it to the desired size with a spatula. Scoop out the remaining meringue on top and shape into a slightly curved dome. This is the fun part - use your spatula to make swooshes or the design of your choice on the sides. Place the baking sheet gently into the oven and close the oven door, preferably without banging anything! **TURN THE OVEN DOWN TO 250f**. Bake without peeping for 1.5 hours. Turn the oven off, open the oven door a bit and wedge a wooden spoon to keep it ajar and allow the pavlova to cool fully - you can leave it inside the oven like that overnight. If you are in a hurry, cool it down out of the oven on a wire rack but it may crack more - use the curd and fruits to cover the cracks up, if you care about that.
Assemble: Once you are ready to serve, spoon or pour the lemon curd all over the top of the pavlova. Add prepared fresh fruits and serve immediately. Avoid putting toppings on too early (I'd say 20-30 minutes max) or else the weight might cause the pavlova to collapse. (This happened to me when I took too long photographing it. But can you blame me? So pretty! )
Enjoy this impressive dessert!
If you like this recipe, pin it to Pinterest! You can also leave me a comment below to let me know what you think of this post - I would love that. :)
