Pavlova with Winter Fruits

5.0
(1)

It's tough making dessert for someone cutting back on gluten and dairy. Luckily, pavlovas are gluten free and really easy. The toppings are easy to customize - I made the lemon curd dairy free and served whipped cream on the side.

3
Prep Time:
30 mins
Cook Time:
1 hr
Additional Time:
1 hr
Total Time:
2 hrs 30 mins
Servings:
3
Yield:
3 pavlovas
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Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 3 servings

Meringue:

  • 4 egg whites, at room temperature

  • ¾ cup white sugar

  • ¼ cup superfine sugar

  • 1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch

  • ½ teaspoon orange blossom water (Optional)

  • ½ teaspoon white vinegar

Lemon Curd:

  • 3 lemons, zested and juiced

  • cup white sugar

  • 4 large egg yolks

  • 1 pinch sea salt

  • 3 tablespoons coconut oil, at room temperature

Whipped Cream:

  • 1 cup heavy cream

  • 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

  • 1 teaspoon orange blossom water (Optional)

Fruits:

  • 1 pink grapefruit, peeled and sliced crosswise

  • 1 orange, peeled and sliced crosswise

  • 1 ripe Fuyu persimmon, peeled and thinly sliced

  • ½ pomegranate, seeded

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Invert a small bowl onto the parchment paper and trace the rim with a pencil. Repeat twice more. Flip parchment paper over.

  2. Beat egg whites in a large bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks begin to form. Gradually add white sugar, with the mixer running. Whisk superfine sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Gradually beat into the meringue. Continue beating meringue until stiff, glossy peaks form. Beat in orange blossom water and vinegar.

  3. Spoon meringue into the traced circles. Make the borders higher than the center, to leave room for the filling.

  4. Bake meringues in the preheated oven until firm and dry to the touch, about 1 hour.

  5. Meanwhile, make the lemon curd. Fill a medium saucepan with 1 inch of water and bring to a bare simmer.

  6. Whisk lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar, egg yolks, and salt together in a glass bowl. Set the bowl over the simmering water. Cook, whisking constantly, until curd foams, then thickens, about 10 minutes. Remove the bowl from the simmering water. Gradually whisk in coconut oil until melted and incorporated.

  7. Strain the curd through a fine-mesh sieve; discard solids left in the strainer. Press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Transfer to the refrigerator.

  8. Turn off oven and keep meringues inside until completely dry, about 1 hour.

  9. Combine heavy cream, confectioners' sugar, and orange blossom water in a bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until soft peaks form.

  10. Spoon lemon curd into the center of the cooled meringues. Mound whipped cream over the curd. Arrange grapefruit, orange, and persimmon slices on top. Sprinkle pomegranate seeds over the top.

Cook's Notes:

You can make one large pavlova instead of 3 smaller ones.

Whipped coconut cream can be used for a completely dairy-free dessert. If you're not trying to eliminate dairy, use butter instead of coconut oil in the lemon curd.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

962 Calories
49g Fat
133g Carbs
13g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 3
Calories 962
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 49g 63%
Saturated Fat 32g 161%
Cholesterol 382mg 127%
Sodium 227mg 10%
Total Carbohydrate 133g 48%
Dietary Fiber 7g 26%
Total Sugars 111g
Protein 13g 25%
Vitamin C 140mg 156%
Calcium 187mg 14%
Iron 3mg 17%
Potassium 592mg 13%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.