Happy New Year! I know I first posted pictures of this orange blossom fig pavlova back back at the end of 2019, but the busy holiday season got to me so I hadn’t had a chance to write this blog post until now. Hopefully you guys aren’t sick of festive desserts, because I am giving you my orange blossom and fig pavlova recipe as the first blog post of 2020!
What is pavlova?
A pavlova is a meringue dessert made up of mostly egg whites and sugar. That means it’s technically low in fat and carbs and high in protein, so it’s healthy, right? Right. Pavlovas have a nice thin, crunchy exterior, but a super fluffy, marshmallow-like interior. In order to achieve those textures, you’ve got to bake it low and slow (I’m talking hours). I’ve rushed the process before and ended up with a gooey, sticky interior, which is great in other desserts but not preferred for a meringue. So don’t get impatient!
A pavlova also looks really fancy, but actually is very low key. After whipping your egg whites, you literally just plop it on a baking tray. To make the fun stripes like I have one mine, just take a palette knife or spatula and swipe up from the bottom of the blob to the top, going all the way around the circle. It’s really that simple. Did I mention that pavlova is also naturally gluten free? You can skip the whipped cream or sub a coconut whipped cream to make this dessert dairy free as well.
Flavors and Fruits
Pavlova tastes great with pretty much any fruit. For my recipe, I loved pairing the very floral orange blossom flavor with the tartness of pomegranate and mellowness of figs. A pinch of cardamom also adds warmth and spice! If figs and pomegranate aren’t in season, however, it’s really not a problem. You can use vanilla or almond extract instead of orange blossom, and top with berries or other fruit. If it tastes good with whipped cream, it’ll taste good with pavlova.
Pavlova Troubleshooting Tips
One last note on baking technique: I actually had a few more cracks on my pavlova shell than I would’ve liked. The likely culprit is that my oven runs a bit high, so I should’ve gone for a lower temperature and longer baking time. However, the insides were PERFECTLY fluffy. My recipe and baking tines are based off a Mary Berry recipe (shoutout to all the GBBO fans out there!). You may need to experiment a little with your oven to get the perfect shell and interior textures.
Alright I hope you give this recipe a try! Once you get pavlova making down, you’ll see how easy it is to customize with fruits and flavors of your choice! Happy baking!
Orange Blossom Fig Pavlova
Ingredients
For the pavlova
- 4 large egg whites
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 2 tsp white vinegar
- 2 tsp orange blossom water
- 1/4 tsp cardamom
For the topping
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 4-5 figs, cut in quarters
- 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
- drizzle of pomegranate syrup optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 320 degrees F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Whisk egg whites using an electric mixer until foamy bubbles appear. Keeping your mixer going, slowly add the sugar until fully incorporated. Keep mixing the egg whites until glossy, stiff peaks form.
- Blend cornstarch and vinegar together and mix into the meringue mixture. Mix in orange blossom water and cardamom.
- Turn the meringue mixture out onto the prepared baking tray, roughly in an 8 inch circle. Add swirls, stripes, or other designs into sides of the meringue as desired. Smooth out the center of the meringue circle into a shallow bowl.
- Place meringue into the preheated oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 300 degrees F. Bake for on hour. Turn the oven off and allow the pavlova to cool completely to room temperature while still in the oven, keeping the oven door closed.
- When ready to serve, place pavlova onto a serving tray. Whip the whipping cream and sugar until soft peaks form. Top the pavlova with whipped cream, prepared fruit, and drizzle of pomegranate syrup, if using. Slice and serve!