Recipe: Pavlova with Vanilla Cream, Honeycomb & Summer Berries
Hosting a Wimbledon party, picnic or afternoon tea and in need of a show-stopping summer dessert? We’ve given the classic Wimbledon strawberries and cream a serious make-over with this Pavlova, piled high with Vanilla Whipped Cream, tangy Lemon and Elderflower Curd, Raspberry Coulis and, of course, plenty of fresh Strawberries, as well as Honeycomb, Summer Berries and Basil.
Here at Social Pantry, we make every element of our Pavlova from scratch, including the lemon curd, but for this at-home cheat’s version, our Development Chef Sarah Turner suggests using shop-bought lemon curd mixed with a drizzle of elderflower cordial. If pressed for time, you could also buy the honeycomb, or omit it altogether, but you’d be surprised how easy it is to make at home and the golden chunks add a beautiful, regal look to this impressive, yet deceptively simple, dessert.
Pavlova with Vanilla Cream, Honeycomb & Summer Berries
Serves 8-10
Ingredients:
For the meringue:
210g Egg Whites (approx. 12 Eggs)
350g Caster Sugar
1 Tbsp Cornflour
1 Tbsp White Wine Vinegar
For the vanilla cream:
250ml Double Cream
1 Tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
For the honeycomb:
Butter, to grease the tin
200g Caster Sugar
5 Tbsp Golden Syrup
2 Tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
For the raspberry coulis:
250g Raspberries
½ Lemon
Approx. 20g Icing Sugar
For the lemon & elderflower curd:
2-3 Tbsp Lemon Curd
1-2 Tsp Elderflower Cordial
To finish:
Quartered strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, a few basil sprigs
Method:
Place the egg whites into the clean bowl of a kitchen aid, or another bowl if you are using a handheld whisk. A clean bowl is essential as any grease will prevent the meringues from rising.
Whisk on medium speed until they form medium-stiff peaks. Your aim is to build up lots of small bubbles slowly, as this will create a more stable meringue.
Mix together the caster sugar and cornflour in a bowl.
Once the egg whites have reached medium-stiff peaks, slowly add in the caster sugar and cornflour mix, a tablespoon at a time.
Once all the sugar has been added, add the white wine vinegar and continue whisking on a low speed until the sugar has dissolved. To test this, rub some of the meringue mix between your fingers – when all the sugar has been dissolved it should feel completely smooth. If you need to help this process along, you can add a teaspoon of warm water.
Line a large baking tray with baking paper, then use a large spoon to spread the mix onto the tray in one large circle (alternatively you can spoon or pipe smaller meringues).
Bake for 1.5 to 2 hours at 120c, allow to cool completely in the oven turned off. This will reduce cracking. When fully cooled, pack away into airtight containers until ready to decorate and serve.
While the meringue is in the oven, make the toppings. To make the honeycomb, start by greasing a 20cm square tin. Heat the caster sugar and golden syrup in a deep saucepan set over a low heat until the sugar dissolves. Once melted, increase the heat and gently bubble until you have an amber caramel. At this point, quickly mix in the bicarbonate of soda until foamy, then pour into the greased tin and leave to set for 1-1.5 hours, until hard.
To make the vanilla cream, whisk the double cream in a bowl with the vanilla bean paste until it forms soft peaks.
To make the raspberry coulis, use a blender, food processor or mini chopper to blend the raspberries with the juice of half a lemon and approximately 20g icing sugar (depending on the sweetness of your raspberries – taste once blended, then add more to your liking) until smooth.
For the elderflower lemon curd, mix together the lemon curd with a drizzle of elderflower cordial. Taste and add more to your liking.
To serve, carefully place your meringue onto a serving board or plate then spoon over the vanilla cream, followed by the lemon & elderflower curd. Drizzle over the berry coulis then top with a generous pile of the fresh summer berries and a few basil sprigs. Prepare for your guests to be wowed.
