The Pavlova is a classic Kiwi dessert that celebrates the southern hemispheres sun-kissed Christmas as it’s laden with fruits of the season. My interpretation was inspired by a dessert on the summer lunch degustation menu I enjoyed the day before at Merediths restaurant. It was a delectable and surprising blend of colour and taste. A sweet green tea sauce, dark chocolate mousse, cherries, almond praline, yoghurt ice cream and cherry powder were the key elements that I wanted to draw from.
My Christmas Wreath Pavlova has a chocolate mousse sandwiched between two meringue rings. It is topped with a yoghurt cream and sprinkled with an almond praline crumble, drizzled with a green tea cream sauce, then decorated with blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, natural glazed cherries, praline ‘flowers’ & clusters and a dusting of dehydrated cherries. Below are the recipes for each key element. An advantage of forming the meringue into a ring is that the fragile crispy outer & fluffy marshmallow inner is much easier to cut and serve.
You may also decide to take just a few elements to ‘pimp up your pav.’ Remember, the original recipe has just meringue, cream and fruit so anything else is purely there to heighten the extravaganza for the eyes and tastebuds!
Good luck and get creative.
RECIPES FOR VARIOUS ELEMENTS
MERINGUE – for two ‘ring’ layers
- 8 large eggs
- 400 grams/2 cups of golden caster sugar
- 2 pinches of salt
Preheat your oven to 150°C/300°F and line a square baking tray with a sheet of greaseproof paper. (I recommend 140°C/280°Ffor fan forced ovens)
Put 4 egg whites into a squeaky clean bowl, making sure there are absolutely no little pieces of egg shell or egg yolk in them. Whisk on medium until the whites form firm peaks.
With your mixer still running, gradually add 200g/1 cup sugar, a tablespoon at a time. Then add a pinch of salt. Turn the mixer up to the highest setting and whisk for about 5 minutes, until the meringue mixture is white and glossy. To test whether it’s done you can pinch some between your fingers – if it feels completely smooth it’s ready; if it’s slightly granular it needs a little more whisking.
Turn your baking paper upside down and use a large dinner plate to draw a circle. In the centre of this, use a saucer to draw another circle.
Dot each corner of the greaseproof paper with a blob of meringue, then turn it over and stick it to the baking tray.
Spoon the meringue out on to the paper. Using the back of a spoon, shape and swirl it into a ring, with a slight dip in the centre of the ring so it holds the filling.
Place in the preheated oven and bake for an hour or until crisp on the outside and a little soft and sticky inside.
Repeat these steps for the second meringue ring.
GREEN TEA CREAM SAUCE
- 2 teaspoon matcha powder (green tea extract)
- 1/4 cup golden caster sugar
- 1/2 pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons of boiling water
- 2 teaspoons of water
- 1 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1/2 cup cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
Mix together the matcha powder, sugar and salt in a small saucepan.
Add the boiling water, angle the saucepan and stir until the matcha and sugar are completely dissolved.
Separately, mix in a small bowl the cornstarch and remaining water together to make a smooth thick paste.
Put the small saucepan on a low heat, add the cream to the green tea mixture and warm. Add the vanilla and the cornstarch mixture and whisk continuously until the mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat.
Cool completely then refrigerate.
Makes 1/2 a cup. Drizzle 1/4 cup on the pavlova and the rest in a small jug or bottle to serve on the table. This sauce also works well with a cherry chocolate brownie.
YOGHURT CREAM
- 1 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 cup plain thick yoghurt
- muslin cloth
- mason jar
Place muslin cloth loosely in a large mason jar and use a hair tie or rubber band to secure (see photo)
Put the yoghurt in the muslin cloth.
Rest a lid on the jar and place in the fridge for an hour or until approx 1 cup of whey (liquid) has drained from the yoghurt.
Pour cream into clean mixing bowl and add yoghurt.
Beat on a high setting until the mixture has loose soft peaks.
Makes approximately 3 cups. Any leftover from the Pavlova can go in a bowl on the table.
CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
- 200g dark chocolate drops/chips/chunks
- 20g butter
- 2 large eggs, separated
- 1 tablespoon golden caster sugar
- 3/4 cup cream
Place the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a small saucepan of water.
On a low heat, stir until ingredients are melted and smooth.
Stir through the egg yolks and set aside.
Whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar, one tablespoon at a time, and beat until stiff peaks form.
Whisk the cream until soft peaks form.
Fold the whisked egg whites into the chocolate mixture, then the whisked cream.
Place in a storage container with a lid and refrigerate.
ALMOND PRALINE
- ½ cup golden caster sugar
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ cup blanched almonds, roasted
Line a small baking tray with non-stick baking paper.
Place the sugar and water in a small saucepan over low heat and cook for 4–5 minutes or until the sugar is dissolved. Increase the heat to high and cook, without stirring, until golden brown.
Add the almonds and pour immediately onto the prepared tray. Set aside to cool completely.
Once the praline has cooled, chop with a large knife into small chunks.
Store in an airtight container.
PRALINE FLOWERS
- ½ cup golden caster sugar
- ¼ cup water
Line a small baking tray with non-stick baking paper.
Place the sugar and water in a small saucepan over low heat and cook for 4–5 minutes or until the sugar is dissolved. Increase the heat to high and cook, without stirring, until golden brown.
Take off the heat and run base of pot under cold water for 3 seconds.
As praline starts to cool, use a teaspoon to create flower shapes on the baking paper (or squiggles,, or stars or whatever shape you like)
When completely cold, store in an airtight container between cut sheets of baking paper. This will stop the praline flowers sticking together.
OTHER DECORATION
8 x strawberries (sliced), 30 x whole blueberries, 15 x whole raspberries, 10 x natural glace cherries (halved), 6 x dehydrated cherries. You could also try kiwifruit cut with star cookie cutter.
TO ASSEMBLE CHRISTMAS WREATH PAVLOVA
Carefully place first meringue ring on serving board or plate.
Add chocolate mousse to the top of this.
Place second meringue ring on top
Add yoghurt cream liberally on top of the second meringue ring.
Liberally sprinkle almond praline through the middle of the cream ring.
Take a dehydrated cherry and crush between thumb and forefinger while sprinkling over the cream surface. Repeat with all dehydrated cherries
Using a teaspoon, drizzle green tea cream sauce backwards and forwards over the creamed meringue ring, following the circular direction.
Add fruit decoration, raspberries, blueberries and sliced strawberries.
Use a teaspoon to place mounds of the almond praline in amongst the fruit.
Place halves natural glace cherries on top.
Place the praline flowers upright into the creamed meringue.
Now you’re ready to present your masterpiece!
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