Fig And Cinnamon Pavlova

Enjoy this summer twist on a timeless Australian dessert - fig and cinnamon Pavlova. It is a stunning meringue combined with the praline cream and decorated with fresh figs, that is perfect for a special occasion or a dessert for whenever just because!

Have you ever been obsessed with any fruit? You will not believe how much I love figs and how I wait for fig season each year.

Once they first appear in a grocery store, I come back home with a box of fresh figs each time I go shopping. I get the most out of fig season every year!

After I made Fresh Fig and Almond Cake, Fig Tart with Hazelnut Praline, and Savoury Muffins With Ham And Figs, I am up for another summer sweet delight - fig and cinnamon Pavlova.

Jump to:

• Pavlova cake
• Fig Pavlova Recipe
• Ingredients
• Why you should try this recipe
• How to make fig Pavlova
• Expert tips
• Frequently asked question
• Love Pavlova dessert? Try these next!
• Recipe
• Comments

Pavlova cake

The origin of Pavlova is considered to be Australia or maybe New Zealand.

It depends on who you ask. Both Australians and New Zealanders are proud of being the first ones who created the stunning dessert.

However, there is no doubt that Pavlova cake was named after the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova!

The classic cake Pavlova is a white meringue-based dessert served as a whole cake. However, small Pavlovas are another variation.

The center of Pavlova/s is usually gooey, almost toffee-like. It is usually topped with traditional whipped cream and fruit.

Fig Pavlova Recipe

Original fig Pavlova - a creation of Yotam Ottolenghi and Helen Goh - is made with dark muscovado sugar and flavored with cinnamon.

Its dry and crunchy center is covered with a layer of dark chocolate. The mascarpone-based cream is flavored with almond praline.

I made some changes in the recipe, replacing dark brown muscovado sugar with the more well-known brown sugar.

Then I used a homemade Hazelnut Praline, which I always keep stocked in the fridge; although, you can use a store-bought hazelnut praline.

Ingredients

Here is a quick overview of what ingredients you will need. Follow the full recipe below for detailed amounts and instructions. I recommend making this recipe as written for the best results. 

Egg whites: the recipe calls for large egg whites. It is easy to separate egg whites from egg yolks while the eggs are right from the fridge.

Then let egg whites warm up to room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes before you start making the meringue.

Sugar: use regular granulated white sugar. It is preferable to process sugar in a food processor for a few seconds to get superfine sugar, which helps to whisk the meringue.

Brown sugar: either use brown sugar or replace it with dark brown muscovado sugar if you prefer.

Ground cinnamon: use Ceylon ground cinnamon, but if you want to intensify the flavor, you can consider trying Saigon cinnamon.

Hazelnut praline: make Hazelnut Praline Paste yourself or use a store-bought hazelnut praline.

Whipping cream: whisk the cold cream in a chilled metal bowl for the best result. Keep the empty container in the freezer for about 15 minutes before you start making the cream.

Pistachios: use either raw or toasted unsalted pistachios.

Dark chocolate: choose high-quality dark chocolate such as Valrhona dark chocolate. 

Figs: fresh seasonal figs are the star of this Pavlova.

Honey: your favorite brand of honey as a topping.

Mascarpone cheese: use your favorite brand of mascarpone.

Why you should try this recipe

1. Adding brown sugar and baking the meringue to perfection results in the dry and crispy meringue.
2. Ground cinnamon brings an additional flavor.
3. Making a thin layer of dark chocolate in the center of the meringue nest holds the cream and prevents the meringue from soaking.
4. The nutty taste of the praline cream is well balanced with the caramel-cinnamon flavor of the meringue.
5. Honey/pistachio mixture poured on top of the cake gives a beautiful and tasty touch.

How to make fig Pavlova

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F/120 C. Prepare a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. 

Draw a circle of 9 inches/23 cm in diameter with a pencil and turn the paper so that the ring will face down.

To make the meringue, prepare a bain-marie/water bath. In a large bowl, place egg whites, granulated and brown sugar, and combine with a hand whisk.

Bring the pot over a bain-marie and beat 4 minutes, using the hand whisk (photo 1).

Make sure that the water of the water bath is not boiling: it has to simmer.

Once sugar is melted, take the bowl out of bain-marie and whisk at high speed for 5 minutes until the meringue becomes stiff and glossy (photo 2).

Add cinnamon and whisk again (photo 3). Pour the meringue on the center of the circle and form the nest using a bent spatula or a metal spoon. Try to lift the edges of the meringue nest (photo 4).

Bake for 3 hours. Once the meringue is ready, do not remove it from the oven.

Let the meringue cool in the switched-off oven for 2 hours (photo 5). 

Melt dark chocolate in a microwave, stirring every 30 seconds, or melt it over a bain-marie/water bath.

Brush the center of the meringue nest with the melted chocolate, using a silicone brush. Let it set for 2 hours (photo 6).

To make the praline cream, place whipping cream, mascarpone cheese, and hazelnut praline in a bowl of the stand mixer and whisk for 1 minute. 

Be careful not over to whisk the cream; otherwise, it might split. Refrigerate till serving (photo 7). Cut figs into 1 cm thick rings (photo 8).

To assemble the cake, garnish the center of the cake with the praline cream and arrange fresh figs (photo 9).

Warm honey in a microwave and add raw pistachios. Pour the honey/nuts mixture on top of figs (photo 10). Serve immediately.

Expert tips

1. Replace brown sugar with dark brown muscovado sugar if desired.
2. Replace dark chocolate with milk or white chocolate if preferred.
3. Make homemade almond praline instead of Hazelnut Praline if you prefer. Following the recipe where switch hazelnuts for almonds or use a store-bought hazelnut praline.
4. If the praline cream begins to split, add some whipping cream and whisk again.
5. Refrigerate the praline cream till serving. Once you fill the meringue nest with cream and fresh figs, serve immediately.
6. Use roasted almonds (instead of raw pistachios) to decorate the cake.

Frequently asked question

Love Pavlova dessert? Try these next!

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Recipe

The nutrition information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator and is intended for informational purposes only and should be used as a general guideline. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should independently verify it using your preferred tool. Please, read the disclaimers in our Privacy Policy.

The recipe was adapted from https://ottolenghi.co.uk/. It was originally published on September 14, 2018. The recipe has been revised to include improved content and photos. All posted pictures are mine.