Mulled Wine Pear Pavlova Recipes

PEAR PAVLOVA

Steps:

• Poach pears: Combine wine, the water, sugar, peppercorns, bay leaves, and cinnamon sticks in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, and stir until sugar has dissolved. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer.
• Carefully peel pears, leaving stems intact. Place in pan; cover, and cook, rotating occasionally, until bases of pears are easily pierced with a paring knife, 20 to 25 minutes, depending on ripeness of fruit. Meanwhile, prepare an ice bath.
• Using a large slotted spoon, carefully transfer pears to a large metal bowl set in the ice bath. Pour poaching liquid through a fine sieve into bowl with pears; let cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate overnight to let pears absorb the poaching liquid.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees with rack in center. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using an overturned bowl or cake pan as a guide, trace an 8-inch circle on the parchment; turn parchment over, marked side down.
• Make meringue base: Place egg whites, salt, and light-brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on low speed until well combined and no lumps of sugar remain. Increase speed to medium; beat until soft peaks form, about 9 minutes. With mixer running, gradually add superfine sugar. Continue beating until peaks are stiff and glossy, about 2 minutes more. Beat in vinegar and vanilla.
• Using a rubber spatula, spread the meringue into marked 8-inch circle on prepared baking sheet; form peaks around the edge and a well in the center.
• Bake meringue until crisp around the edge and just set in the center, about 1 1/4 hours. Transfer baking sheet to a wire rack until meringue is cool enough to handle. Carefully peel off parchment; let meringue cool completely on rack.
• Make topping: In a small bowl, whip heavy cream and sugar until stiff peaks form. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate until ready to use.
• Slice pears in half lengthwise; remove seeds and stems with a spoon or melon baller, and discard. Cut pears into 3/4-inch pieces, and place in a bowl; cover with plastic wrap, and set aside.
• Bring 3 cups poaching liquid to a boil in a medium saucepan; reduce heat, and simmer until syrupy and reduced to about 1 cup, 20 to 25 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare another ice bath. Pour syrup into a clean bowl set in the ice bath; stir frequently until cool and thickened.
• To assemble, carefully place meringue on serving platter. Spoon whipped cream on top, and then add pears. Serve, sliced into wedges and drizzled with syrup.

MULLED WINE PEAR PAVLOVA RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment.
• Draw a 9-inch circle on the parchment paper by tracing a 9-inch plate. Turn the paper over so the tracing doesn't end up on the Pavlova.
• Place the egg whites and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat the egg whites on high until firm, approximately 1 minute. Slowly add the sugar to the egg whites and continue beating until stiff, shiny peaks form, approximately 2-3 minutes. Do not overmix.
• Remove the bowl from the mixer and sprinkle the egg white mixture with cornstarch, vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Carefully, fold the ingredients into the egg whites using a rubber spatula. Mound the meringue into the center of the circle on the parchment and spread into a smooth disk. Make a shallow well in the center of the meringue - this will puff up during baking and will ensure you have a marshmallow-y center.
• Bake the meringue for 1 1/2 hours and then turn off the oven. Keeping the oven door closed, allow the meringue to cool completely in the oven for an additional hour. It will be crisp on the outside and soft on the inside.
• While the meringue is cooling, bring the wine to a boil. Add the mulling spices and the pears to the wine, then turn the heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes. Carefully remove the pears from the wine and cool on a plate. Add the sugar to the wine and bring to a boil. Boil the wine until reduced by 1/2, approximately 20 minutes, then turn off the heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
• In a medium bowl, beat the remaining vanilla, confectioners' sugar and whipping cream with a hand mixer until soft peaks form, approximately 3-4 minutes.
• To assemble, place the meringue in the middle of a serving plate. Spread the whipping cream over the top of the meringue and then arrange the pears in the center of the whipped cream.
• Drizzle the syrup over the pears and the top of the meringue. Serve immediately.

PECAN TOFFEE MERINGUE WITH MULLED PEARS

Steps:

• Put the wine, pears and sugar in a pan and simmer for 10 mins.
• Heat oven to 160C/140C/gas 3. Draw a 25cm circle on a sheet of baking parchment, then put on a baking sheet. Stir 225g sugar and cornflour together in a jug. Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then whisk in the sugar mixture, a tbsp at a time, until thick and glossy.
• Fold in vinegar and half the nuts, then pile mixture onto the circle, building up the edges to make a 'nest'. Scatter with rest of pecans then put in oven, turning the temperature down to 150C/fan 130C/gas 2. Bake for 1 hr, then turn oven off and cool inside for 1 hr.

MULLED SPICED PAVLOVAS

Steps:

• First make the meringues. Heat the oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 1. Line a baking sheet with baking paper. Using a pestle and mortar or spice grinder, finely grind the cardamom seeds, clove, allspice and cinnamon together. Whisk the egg white until stiff peaks form, then gradually whisk in the sugar, a tbsp at a time, until you have a stiff, shiny mixture. Fold in the cornflour, vinegar, vanilla, spice mix and orange zest.
• Divide the mixture into two on the prepared baking sheet and use the back of a spoon to make a slight hollow in the centre of each. Bake for 50 mins until crisp, then turn off the heat and leave the meringues cooling in the oven for 30 mins. Finish cooling on a wire rack. I f making ahead, store in an airtight container for up to three days or freeze for up to one month.
• For the figs, put all the ingredients except the figs in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 30 mins. Reheat the liquid, pour over the figs, then leave overnight or at least until cool. Drain the figs, reserving the liquid, then thickly slice each into 2-3 pieces.
• To make the sauce, put 125ml of the reserved fig liquid and sugar in a pan. Stir over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved, then whisk in the cocoa and chocolate. The mixture will thicken as the chocolate melts. Allow the sauce to cool to room temperature.
• To assemble, spoon a little crème fraîche onto each pavlova, top with the fig slices and drizzle with chocolate sauce. Serve extra sauce on the side.