Elegant Holiday Pavlovas
What's not to love?
What’s Been On My Plate
The semester has come to a close, the exams have been taken, the scraps of notebook paper I saved “just in case” have been tossed, and the essays have been turned in. I passed my statistics class, too! A cause for celebration, if you’re anything like me (Chronically Unable To Do Math). It’s less a celebration about passing but more a celebration about not having to do math in a serious setting for the rest of my life. A win!
In the past week, I’ve been wrapping gifts, enjoying time with others, baking cookies, and reading books. Iowa had a dramatic ice storm last weekend— from door handles to sidewalks, every surface outside was covered in a sheath of ice. To avoid going stir crazy, I baked a cinnamon wreath using a typical cinnamon roll/brioche dough, filling it with cinnamon, and braiding it. It turned out to be a fun challenge and just the thing to gift to my Nana!
What Will Be On Your Plate
Cranberry & Orange Holiday Pavlovas
If I were Mrs. Claus and I wanted to make an impressive holiday dessert for my dear Santa, something he has perhaps not seen much of (ahem… cookies), I think I would make him these pavlovas.
This dessert is light and refreshing— the perfect “sweet something” to cap off a heavy holiday meal. Notes of orange add elegance to the whipped cream topping which simultaneously melts in your mouth and cuts through the bold red cranberry curd and simple pavlova. Each bite is stylistically beautiful and tastes like something new.
For those who have never had a pavlova— it’s basically lightly toasted sugar. The outer shell is crunchy and crumbly while the inside is more chewy and melts in your mouth. Like a marshmallow, in many ways.
This recipe makes about 8 impressive-looking mini pavlovas, and they are best if assembled immediately before serving. I would recommend making the curd first, then the cream topping, and finally the pavlovas. This way everything is prepped and cooled well-ahead of time. And assembling a pavlova has always been a satisfying and beautiful task, which makes it perfect if you’re looking to entertain company.
A pavlova is known to be tedious, but the cranberry curd and whipped cream topping are easy-peasy. Plus, I will step us through the pavlova process with immense instruction! Beginning with the cranberry curd:
Cranberry Curd:
1 cup (8oz) fresh cranberries
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup and 2 tablespoons water
1/4 tsp salt
1 tb orange juice
2 egg yolks (save the whites for the pavlova)
1 tablespoon butter
Add cranberries, sugar, and water to a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil.
Once boiling, reduce the cranberry mixture to a simmer over low heat, stirring on occasion. Simmer for ten minutes and then remove from heat.
Stir the orange juice and salt in, and add more sugar to taste if needed. Let the mixture cool down for at least 15 minutes.
Add the cooled mixture to a blender or take an immersion blender and blend until smooth. Add the mixture back to the pan.
Quickly whisk the egg yolks and butter into the cranberry mixture. This tempers the egg. Turn the heat back to low and let the curd cook for another 3-5 minutes, whisking every 30-60 seconds.
The curd will be thick and glossy. Remove from the heat and let cool.
If you want to ensure the most smooth cranberry curd possible (free of pulp), run it through a mesh strainer or chinos. Otherwise, this is a skippable step!
Pour the curd into a container and store in the fridge. This mixture will keep for about a week and can be done days in advance.
Orange Whipped Cream
2 cups (16oz) heavy whipping cream, cold
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1-2 tsp orange zest
splash of vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
Add all ingredients to a bowl and (with a hand mixer or dedicated arm) beat the cream until it takes a loose yet firm shape. Taste along the way, adding more sugar or salt as desired.
Once whipped, add the cream to a container and keep in the fridge. The whipped cream will keep for up to 3 days.
Pavlova
Makes 8 mini-pavlovas
1/2 cup egg whites (about 4 egg whites), at room temperature
2/3 cup white sugar
2 tsp cornstarch
3/4 tsp vinegar
splash of vanilla
sprinkles (if desired)
Turn the oven to 330 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites on high with a hand or stand mixer until the egg whites are no longer foamy and, instead, soft peaks form. About two minutes. Tip: make sure your bowl is completely clean and dry. Oil or water residue in the bowl may throw off the meringue.
With the mixer still on, slowly stream the sugar in. Beat on high for 4-7 minutes, until stiff peaks form and scraping down the sides as needed. The mixture will become very glossy.
Tip: to test for stiff peaks, take a spoonful of the mixture and flip it upside down. You have a stiff peak if the mixture stays in place.
Using a spatula, gently fold in the cornstarch, vinegar, and vanilla until just combined. Avoid touching the mixture too much, the more you stir, the more you deflate the pavlova.
Plop about 1/3 cup of the mixture on a baking tray lined with parchment. Once you have about 8 pavlova blobs formed, use a metal spoon to shape them into even circles, making a minor divot in the center of each pavlova. A nest, of sorts.
This is when, if you’d like to add a color to the pavlova, gently sprinkle them with sprinkles of your choice. They look great if kept classic, too. Personal decision.
Bake the pavlovas for 12 minutes. They will take on a bit of color. Rotate the pans and bring the heat in the oven down to 220 degrees. Bake for another 30 minutes.
Remove the pavlovas from the oven and let cool completely before assembly.
Assembly !!!!
Gently maneuver each pavlova to its own plate.
With a tablespoon or large spoon, spread the cranberry curd into the divot of the “nest.”
Take a few large spoonfuls of the whipped cream and gently top the pavlovas.
Swirl a small dollop of cranberry curd into the top of the whipped cream.
Serve with spoons or forks and enjoy! They are best eaten within 48 hours.
From my plate to yours,
JuJu