Peach Melba Pavlova Recipes

CHEF JOHN'S PEACH MELBA

Steps:

• Combine raspberries, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, water, and balsamic vinegar in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until sugar dissolves and berries collapse, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and strain into a bowl. Cool to room temperature, cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
• Combine 2 cups sugar, 2 cups water, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and split vanilla bean in a large saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
• Place peach halves with cut sides up in the syrup and simmer until tender, 5 to 8 minutes per side, basting with the syrup occasionally. Remove from heat and allow to cool in the syrup. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, about 4 hours.
• Remove peach skins and serve each peach half on top of a scoop of ice cream in a bowl. Spoon the raspberry sauce over the top. Garnish with toasted, slivered almonds.

PEACH MELBA PAVLOVA

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 120C/100C fan/gas ½. Line a large, flat baking sheet with baking parchment. Tip egg whites into a large bowl. Sift together the sugars. Blend the cornflour, vanilla and vinegar to a paste.
• Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then whisk in the sugars, 2-3 tbsp at a time, alternating with the paste. Continue whisking until the meringue is thick and marshmallow-like.
• Spoon the meringue onto the prepared baking sheet and spread to a 22cm round. Use the back of a metal spoon to make a shallow dip in the centre for the filling. Bake the meringue for 1½ hrs, then turn off the heat and leave it in the oven to cool. Transfer to a flat serving plate.
• Put half the raspberries in a pan with the sugar and 2 tbsp water. Bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then cook for a few mins until the raspberries are soft and pulpy. Tip into a food processor with the remaining raspberries and whizz to a purée. Press through a sieve into a bowl to remove the pips. Cool.
• Halve and stone the peaches, then cut each half into 4-5 slices. Whip the cream until stiff. Drizzle over half the raspberry sauce and fold in gently with a large metal spoon to make a ripple effect. Carefully spoon the cream into the centre of the meringue. Pile the peaches on top and scatter with the remaining raspberries. Drizzle with the remaining sauce and dust lightly with icing sugar. Serve without delay.