Swiss Meringue Pavlova with Lilikoi (Passion Fruit) Curd
This pavlova has a crunchy exterior and a marshmallowy interior. Top with vanilla bean whipped cream and a lilikoi curd for the ultimate tropical dessert!
Ingredients
Meringue
- 1 and 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 6 oz egg whites from about 5 eggs (see notes)
- 1 and 1/2 tsp distilled white vinegar
- 1 and 1/2 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 Tbsp powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
Lilikoi Curd
- 1/2 cup lilikoi curd (see recipe notes)
- 1-2 cups fresh fruit (I used blueberries)
Instructions
Prepare the meringue
- Preheat oven to 240 degrees F. Make sure the rack is placed in the middle of the oven. Trace a 9-10 inch circle on a piece of parchment paper (I used a cake pan as my stencil). Put the marked side face down on a baking sheet and set aside.
- Start simmering about 1 inch of water in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Whisk together the egg whites and sugar in a heat-safe bowl (I used the bowl of my stand mixer). Place the bowl over the simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water. Whisk gently but consistently to cook evenly. Keep whisking until the sugar is dissolved and the temperature is 160 degrees F (about 6 minutes).
- Meanwhile, mix vinegar, cornstarch, and vanilla in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Transfer the bowl with your egg mixture to the base of your stand mixer (careful- the bowl may be hot to touch). Use the whisk attachment and whip on high speed for about 4 minutes. The meringue is done with you reach stiff peaks and it is smooth and glossy. The color will be bright white.
- Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides. Add your vinegar, cornstarch, and vanilla. Whip again on high speed until evenly combined, about 10 seconds.
- Put a little dap of the sticky meringue on each corner of the parchment paper, facing down on the baking tray. This helps the paper stay in place when you are shaping your meringue.
- Transfer the rest of the meringue into a pile at the center of the circle you drew. Use a spatula to spread out the meringue into the larger circle shape (it doesn't have to be perfect). You want the edges to be a little higher than the center (you want a little crater to fill with whipped cream). I did a little swirling at the edges to give it an effortless, rustic look.
Bake the meringue
- Bake the meringue for about 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes. You can test to see if it is done by lightly tapping the edge. It should feel dry and crisp- if not, give it 10 more minutes. Make sure to do this quickly to make sure you don't let the pavlova get too much of the room temperature air (this could result in cracking).
- Turn the oven off but leave the pavlova in there to dry for at least 4 hours (or overnight). You want the pavlova to cool down and dry out slowly- otherwise it could crack.
Make the whipped cream
- Before serving, whip together the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla bean paste in the chilled bowl of a stand mixer. Start at a slow speed and then increase to medium and then increase to high until the cream is smooth, thick, and doubled in volume. You are looking for soft peaks.
To assemble
- Caution: Only assemble the pavlova very close to serving. The whipped cream will eventually make the pavlova lose its crispiness. It is best to serve within 1 hour of assembly.
- Gently peel the pavlova off the parchment paper and transfer to you platter.
- To assemble: Spoon the whipped cream on top of the pavlova followed by the curd. Decorate with fresh fruit (I used blueberries) and enjoy!
Notes
- Please measure your eggs whites in weight! Eggs can vary in size and it is important to get the right ratio of egg whites to sugar.
- I used the lilikoi curd from this recipe: https://anchoredbaking.com/homemade-beignets-with-lilikoi-passion-fruit-curd/