Winter Pavlova With Oranges

5 from 1 vote

This winter pavlova with oranges has a crisp crust and soft center and is topped with cranberry curd, whipped cream and fresh oranges.

Prep Time30

Cook Time1 30

cooling time6

Total Time8

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Australia, New Zealand

Keyword: citrus pavlova, cranberry pavlova, meringue, pavlova

Servings: slices

Calories: 313kcal

Author: Nosheen Babar

Ingredients

5 (150 g) egg whites (SEE NOTES)
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp cream of tartar
1 ¼ cups (250 g) superfine sugar (SEE NOTES)
1 tsp vinegar (SEE NOTES)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp cornstarch
½ lemon

Filling and Topping

1 ½ cup heavy whipping cream
2 tbsp confectioners sugar
1 ½ cup cranberry curd
2 cara cara oranges
2 blood red oranges
2 tbsp orange sauce

Orange Sauce

1 tsp orange peel
2 cups pulp free orange juice
½ cup granulated sugar
1 tbsps cornstarch
1 tsp butter

Instructions

Baking The Pavlova

Preheat your oven to 300°F
Trace an 8 inch circle on a piece of parchment and set upside down on a baking sheet (SEE NOTES)
Separate the egg whites, making sure not a drop of yolk remains
Weigh the whites to make sure you have 150 grams of liquid
Weigh your sugar to make sure you have 250 grams and grind it in a food processor or coffee grinder and set aside
Make sure your mixing bowl is well washed and dried and before starting to mix rub the ½ lemon all over it (SEE NOTES)
Whip your egg whites, salt and cream of tartar until you get medium stiff peaks
Start adding in the sugar slowly, 1 tbsp at a time, till you get stiff peaks (SEE NOTES)
Make a slurry of the vinegar, vanilla and cornstarch and gently fold in
Transfer your mixture to the parchment, staying inside the 8 inch circle you drew, making a dome with a flattened top.
Reduce the heat to 225° and bake for 90 minutes (SEE NOTES)
Once the Pavlova is done, DO NOT remove it from the oven. Leave it in the oven with a light on for 6 hours so it cools down gradually.
After 6 hours, remove it carefully and if it still seems warm leave it outside in a dry place where it will not be disturbed till it is totally cool (SEE NOTES)

Filling and Topping The Pavlova

Gently place your completely cooled pavlova in a serving dish
The top usually depresses a bit, but incase it hasn't, very gently, use a knife to cut open a small hole to expose the hollow centre (SEE NOTES)
Pour in your cranberry curd in this space, spreading it gently to cover the space
Top this with the chilled and lightly sweetened whipped cream
Top with the peeled and cut oranges in the 2 colors
Drizzle a few tablespoons of the orange sauce so it trickles down the sides

The Orange Sauce For The Pavlova

Whisk together the orange peel, orange juice, granulated sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan
Cook the mixture for about 5-8 minutes till it thickens
Turn the flame off and add the butter
Keep stirring till it melts in and set aside to cool

Notes

Egg Whites - The egg whites are the most crucial part of this recipe. The 2 things that are an absolute must when it comes to this ingredient are making sure that there isn't a drop of egg yolk in the whites and weighing them to make sure the quantity is very precise. Counting the number of eggs is not an accurate method as eggs don't come in uniform sizes. So for perfect results it's best to weigh the egg whites.

Superfine Sugar - Superfine sugar is not the same as powdered or confectioners sugar. It's simply granulated sugar that's been ground to a fine consistency, allowing it to blend in better. Powdered sugar contains cornstarch and can make your pavlova taste chalky and dull looking. Since superfine sugar isn't easily available in stores, I usually just run some granulated sugar through my food processor to get the texture I need. Like the eggs, it's best to weigh the sugar and make sure the egg to sugar ratio is perfect.

Vinegar - I use distilled white vinegar for my pavlova but you can use any light colored variety. I wouldn't recommend a dark vinegar as you want a nice light colored Pavlova.

Tracing Your Circle - I prefer an 8 inch circle for my Pavlova as I like to keep the height low. Due to it's delicate nature, until you've perfected making Pavlova's it's best to stick to a wide round with a low height as there's less chance of breakage. Once you trace your circle, flip the parchment upside down. You'll still see the circle but the pencil lines won't transfer onto your pavlova.

Rub The Bowl With A Lemon - this is a great tip I learnt from baker Nigella Lawson. Any grease or fat on the surface of your mixing bowl will prevent your egg whites from bulking up. The lemon helps eliminate any fat on the bowls surface and you'll get beautifully whipped egg whites.

Add The Sugar Slowly- Adding the sugar slowly helps it mix in better and prevents all of the air you've already whipped into the eggs from deflating. It also helps to create a perfect glossy and sticky whipped egg white mixture that will turn into a perfect Pavlova!

Baking The Pavlova - The key to baking a perfect Pavlova is to have a well heated oven at a high temperature and then to reduce the temperature as soon as you put the Pavlova in to bake. The high sudden heat helps set the outside so the Pavlova doesn't spread. But the slow heat and long baking time is what will make sure that you end up with the perfect texture.

Cooling The Pavlova - Cooling the pavlova slowly is just as important as baking it at a low temperature. Cooling the pavlova in the oven over a 6 hour period prevents it from deflating and cracking. Pulling it out from the oven will shock it as the temperature change will be too drastic and alter its structure.

Filling The Pavlova - Due to it's delicate nature, when filling your pavlova, you have to be very gentle. In the event that you need to create a cavity, be very careful when you break open the top of the shell. Also, too much filling can weigh the pavlova down and cause it to collapse so be careful when adding your filling and topping.

Nutrition