Autumnal Pavlova with Figs & Honey
With beautiful figs in season this time of year, I wanted to create a dessert that hones in on their flavour and aesthetic. So I made a cinnamon-spiced pavlova filled with honey & orange infused double cream yoghurt, simply topped with ripe figs and toasted almonds. It is such a light, not too sweet dessert with subtle aromatics. The perfect ending to a roast lamb or pork (Mother's Day) lunch? Enjoy! x
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins
Cinnamon Pavlova:
- 4 egg whites from large room temperature eggs
- 200 ml castor sugar
- 1 tsp (5 ml) vinegar
- 1 Tbs (15 ml) hot water
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) vanilla paste
- 1 1/2 tsp (7.5 ml) ground cinnamon (I used Nomu's cinnamon, next level powerful stuff, so aromatic)
- corn flour for dusting
- extra cinnamon for dusting
Filling:
- 500 ml double cream yoghurt
- zest of 1 orange
- 2 Tbs 30 ml honey
- 8 - 12 ripe figs halved or quartered
- 50 g raw almonds roughly chopped and toasted
- extra honey for drizzling
Preheat the oven to 140 degrees Celsius (non fan assisted).
Line a baking tray with baking paper and lightly dust with cornflour (this is very important).
Place the egg whites, sugar, vinegar, hot water and vanilla paste in a clean metal or glass bowl (or mixer) and whisk at the highest speed for 5 minutes until you have soft white peaks of meringue.
Gently fold in the cinnamon.
Spoon the mixture onto the lined tray into a 20 cm in diameter round. Gently create a well in the center. Be mindful not to make it too deep as it will thin out the base too much. Lightly sprinkle more cinnamon on the meringue.
Bake in the middle shelf for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Switch oven off and leave in the oven for another 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before sliding onto a serving dish.
Mix the yogurt, zest and honey together and spoon into the pavlova.
Arrange the figs on top and sprinkle with generous amounts of toasted almond.
Drizzle with extra honey and serve immediately.