Winter Pavlova
Completely moreish, Winter Pavlova, topped with pomegranate seeds, pistachio brittle and a cardamom scented cream.
Ingredients
For the Pomegranate Syrup:
- 1 ½ cups Pomegranate Juice
- ¼ cup Honey
- 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
For the Meringue Base:
- 4 Egg Whites room temperature
- 1 ¼ cup Sugar
- Pinch of Salt
- 2 tsps Cornstarch
- 1 tsp White Wine Vinegar
- 1 tsp Vanilla use clear vanilla if you have it.
For the Pistachio Brittle:
- ¼ cup Pistachios shelled and roughly chopped
- 2 Tbsp Honey
- 2 tsp Water
For the Cream:
- 1 ½ cups Whipping Cream
- 1 tsp Sugar superfine is best
- ½ tsp Cardamom ground
For the Topping:
- 1 cup fresh Pomegranate Seeds
- Pistachio Brittle instructions below
- Pomegranate Syrup instructions below
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. ***NOTE: Once preheated, and when you place the meringue in the oven, you will need to turn down the temperature to 300°F to continue baking.***
- First make a template for the meringue, measure out the amount of parchment paper needed to line your baking sheet. Using about an 8 inch salad plate, trace a circle with a pencil. Then turn the parchment over so the pencil won't transfer onto the meringue and line the baking sheet with the template.
For the Pomegranate Syrup:
- In a saucepan, add the Pomegranate Juice, Honey and Lemon Juice and bring to a boil over medium high heat, reduce heat to simmer and allow to cook, stirring occasionally, until syrup is reduced by at least half, 30 - 40 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Mixture will thicken as it cools. Pour the syrup into a container and refrigerate it until needed.
For the Meringue Base:
- In a large bowl, use a hand or stand mixer, whisk Egg Whites and Salt starting on low, then slowly increase to high speed. Continue to whisk for about 6 - 8 minutes and peaks start to form.
- Add in the Sugar, about 1 Tablespoon at a time, mixing well between additions. Continue to whisk until the meringue is glossy and smooth.
- Fold in the Cornstarch, Vinegar and Vanilla, gently combining.
- On the pre-lined baking sheet, carefully mound the meringue, using the circle as your guide.
- Place in the preheated oven and immediately turn the temperature down to 300°F. Bake for about 1 hour 15 minutes, turn off the oven and leave the meringue in the oven to cool completely.
For the Pistachio Brittle:
- Line a baking sheet or plate with parchment paper.
- In a small non-stick skillet over medium heat, add only the Pistachios and toast them for about 3 - 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add in the Honey and Water, stirring to coat well, continue to cook for an additional 5 - 8 minutes.
- Transfer the Pistachios to the pre-lined baking sheet and spread out. Cool completely.
- Once completely cool, you can break apart the brittle to use as the topping.
For the Cream:
- In a large bowl, add the Whipping Cream, Sugar and Cardamom and beat on low speed, slowly increasing speed to medium high. Whip the cream until peaks hold.
To Assemble:
- Transfer the cooled Meringue base to the serving dish.
- Top with the Whipped Cream and spread out evenly.
- Finish off by topping the Cream with Pomegranate Seeds and sprinkle the Pistachio Brittle over top.
- Drizzle with the cooled Pomegranate Syrup.
Serve and Enjoy!
Notes
You can make the Pomegranate Syrup and Pistachio Brittle 2 - 3 days beforehand. Keeping the Pomegranate Syrup stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator and keep the Pistachio Brittle stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
