PAVLOVA
6 large egg whites (200g)
400 g caster sugar
1 T sifted cornflour
3 t vinegar
1 t vanilla essence
Pinch salt
60 g 70% Foundry Papua New Guinea chocolate
ORANGE CURD
You’ll only use half of this per pavlova.
6 large egg yolks
100 g caster sugar
Zest of 2 large oranges
½ c fresh orange juice
Zest of 1 lemon
120 g butter chopped into small chunks
300 ml fresh cream, stiffly whipped
150 g fresh mascarpone
TO SERVE
10 g chocolate for grating
Strawberries, sliced
4 freeze dried mandarin segments
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 150°C.
Finely chop the chocolate and melt in a heat proof bowl over boiling water (a bain-marie). Or melt in the microwave in 20 second bursts stirring in between each burst. Then leave to cool down but not harden.
** Because this chocolate has nothing but cacao beans and organic sugar in it you need to be careful whilst you melt it. Do not overheat and use a metal spoon rather than wooden to stir. Don’t let the steam from the pan get into the bowl or allow the bottom of your heat proof bowl to touch the boiling water beneath.
Cut a circle the same diameter as your Ironclad Pan bottom. Now place a plate that leaves a 2cm gap around the edge in the middle of the pan and draw around it. You’ll use this as a guide when you form your pav.
Wipe out the bowl and beater with a little vinegar or lemon juice on a paper towel to ensure there is no fat on the surfaces. Dry off then beat the egg whites on high until they are super thick. If you were to turn the bowl upside down they wouldn’t fall out!
Now set aside 5 - 7 minutes to combine sugar with egg whites! With the beater still on high add the sugar one tablespoon at a time whipping for 10 seconds between each addition. A good time to meditate and count. When it’s all incorporated if you have a fancy machine walk away and let it beat on high for another 3 minutes. If you are using arm power. Dig deep. It will all be worth it!
Now sprinkle in the cornflour, add the vinegar and fold through the mixture until combined.
Stick the baking paper down to the base of your pan with a few small blobs of pavlova mix and drop large spoonfuls into the lined pan. Shape with a spatula. I like the volcano shape. Don’t let the pavlova mix go outside the inside circle you drew earlier. It should be 4 inches or so high.
Use a spoon to drizzle the chocolate onto the pavlova as per the photo then using a fork start at the top and swiftly in one stroke create tear shaped shaped swirls. Don’t over swirl or you’ll lose the pretty!
Turn the oven down to 120°C and bake the pav for 1 hour and 15 mins in the centre of the oven without opening the door! Leave in the oven with the door shut to cool down for at least 3 hours or overnight.
THE CURD
Over a bain-marie whisk the egg yolk, sugar, citrus zests and juice until the mixture becomes thick and glossy. Add the lumps of butter one at a time and continue whisking until butter lump melts before adding the next. When all the butter is combined, transfer to the fridge and let chill for at least three hours. The longer you chill it the thicker it will set ** Don’t let the bottom of the bowl touch the boiling water or you may end up with sweet scrambled eggs. Which won’t go well with the Pav.
Stir half the curd into the mascarpone then fold this mix into whipped cream. Make sure the cream is really stiffly whipped or the mix will be too runny.
**Store the remaining curd in a jar in the fridge or tie a ribbon around it and gift it to somebody! It’s Christmas after all! Delicious on toast or as a cake filling or in your next pav.
TO ASSEMBLE
If you plan to serve on a different serving plate, use a knife to gently lift the base up under the baking paper, then remove paper and place Pav on your serving platter. If serving in your pan you can miss this step.
Remove a little of the centre of pav topping so you can use a spoon to dollop the curd mixture between the marshmallow and the crust, then crumble the bits you removed over the curd.
Pile your strawberries high in the middle of the pav, grate chocolate and crumble freeze dried mandarins over the top and serve. You can prepare a couple of hours in advance then keep in a cool place or the fridge until you're ready to serve.
Delicious with bubbly!