Pomegranate Pavlova Recipes

PAVLOVA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or using a hand mixer), whip the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt in a clean, dry bowl until foamy. Add the granulated sugar, cornstarch, vinegar, and vanilla and continue whipping until stiff, smooth and glossy, about 8 minutes more. On a sheet of parchment paper cut to fit a sheet pan, use a pencil to draw or trace a circle 9-inches in diameter. Line the sheet pan with the parchment, pencil side down (you should still be able to see the circle). Spoon the egg whites into the circle, using the back of the spoon to smooth the top and sides of the disk. Bake in the center of the oven for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 300 degrees and bake until the meringue has puffed up and cracked on the top and the surface is lightly browned to the color of cafe au lait, about 45 minutes more. Turn off the oven, prop the oven door open, and let the pavlova cool in the oven at least 30 minutes, to room temperature. This ensures a gradual cooling, which protects the delicate meringue.
• Whip the cream and brown sugar together until stiff. Spoon it in the center of the cooled pavlova and spread out to within 1/2-inch of the edge. Arrange the slices of kiwi around the edge. Arrange the slices of strawberry in the middle. To serve, slice into wedges with a serrated knife.

POMEGRANATE PAVLOVA

Steps:

• In a stand mixer bowl, combine the egg whites, granulated sugar and salt. Place over a saucepan of boiling water and whisk continuously until the mixture is opaque and ribbony and sugar is completely dissolved, about 10 minutes. (Feel some between your fingers; if it feels smooth without granules, you're good. You can also test readiness by the temperature. The mixture should be around 140 degrees F.)
• Attach the bowl to the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whip the egg white mixture until the bowl has cooled off and the whites are stiff glossy peaks, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the powdered sugar and cider vinegar and combine thoroughly.
• Preheat the oven to 210 degrees F and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Plop the egg white mixture onto the center of the prepared baking sheet and spread into a 9-inch circle with a well-defined cavity for filling. Bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, then turn off the oven and allow to sit in there for another 2 hours. Remove the meringue from the oven and reserve at room temperature in a dry place.
• Place the meringue on a serving dish. Fill the cavity with the Curd, then top with the sliced apple, grapes, pomegranate seeds and candied nuts.
• Combine the orange juice, pomegranate juice, powdered sugar, eggs, egg yolks and salt in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat and whisk continuously (not too vigorously, though, just gently) until mixture has thickened, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the stove and add the butter, a chunk at a time, whisking until it is fully melted and combined. Add food the coloring and stir it in.
• Transfer the curd to a dish or container, leaving behind any curdled bits that may have formed on the bottom of the saucepan. Cover the surface of the curd with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour.

GINGER & POMEGRANATE PAVLOVA

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Using a dinner plate as a template, mark a roughly 25cm circle on a sheet of baking parchment in pencil, then flip the parchment over and put it on a large baking sheet or tray.
• Whisk the egg whites with an electric whisk to stiff peaks, then whisk in the sugar, 1 tbsp at a time, until the meringue is glossy. Whisk in the vinegar, cornflour, ginger and vanilla. Dab a little meringue under all four corners of the parchment to help it stick to the baking tray, then spoon the meringue inside the marked-out circle using a palette knife or the back of a spoon. Spread the meringue to the edge of the circle, then create a dip in the middle - you want to create a 'crater', where the sides are higher than the centre, so the middle will hold the toppings.
• Bake for 1 hr until the meringue is crisp and the base firm, then turn the oven off and leave the meringue to cool inside for 2 hrs.
• Meanwhile, make the topping. Whisk the cream, sugar, stem ginger and ginger syrup together until the cream has just thickened and reached the soft peak stage.
• To assemble, spread the ginger cream in the middle of the cooled pavlova, then sprinkle over the crushed biscuits and pomegranate seeds. Best eaten straightaway.

PEACH AND POMEGRANATE PAVLOVA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 250°F/120°C/100°C fan/the lowest gas mark and line a baking sheet with baking parchment or a reusable baking sheet.
• Make the meringue mixture then sprinkle the raspberry powder over the top and fold through a few times. You want to see ripples of raspberry, so don't mix it in completely. Spoon onto the baking sheet and spread it out into a large rectangle that is the same thickness all over. Bake for three hours so the meringue is completely dried out and crisp. To ensure a crunchy shell and soft, chewy middle, I like to turn the oven off and leave the meringue to cool in the oven overnight. If you don't have time, just leave it to cool on the tray until completely cold.
• Whip the cream into soft peaks and just before serving, spoon it onto the top of the meringue. Arrange the peach slices on top of the cream, fanning them out, then sprinkle the pomegranate seeds on top.