Cinnamon Pavlova With Fresh Figs

This Cinnamon Pavlova is a stunning meringue dessert combined with the praline cream and decorated with fresh figs. It is the perfect cake for a special occasion or a dessert for whenever, just because! It takes 45 minutes hands-on and 3 hours to bake.

I have been obsessed with figs and fig desserts since this fruit first appeared in grocery stores this summer. Each time I go shopping, I come back home with a box of fresh figs. I’ve really been getting the most out of fig season this year!

After I have already made Fresh Fig and Almond Cake, Fig Tart with Hazelnut Praline and Savoury Muffins With Ham And Figs, I am up for another sweet delight – Cinnamon Pavlova with Fresh Figs.

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.

Cinnamon Pavlova – a creation of Yotam Ottolenghi and Heleh 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 muscovado sugar with the more well known brown sugar. Then I used a homemade Hazelnut Praline which I always keep stocked in the fridge. Since I already made Cinnamon Pavlova a few times, I can tell you that the original and adapted versions of the cake are both mouthwatering!

Why Cinnamon Pavlova With Fresh Figs Recipe Works

1. Adding brown sugar and baking the meringue till perfection results in 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. 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 Cinnamon Pavlova with Fresh Figs – Step by Step

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F/120 C. Prepare a baking sheet covered with parchment paper *. Draw a circle of 23 cm in diameter with a pencil and turn the paper so that the circle will face down.

To make the meringue, prepare a bain-marie. In a large bowl, place egg whites, caster and brown sugar, and combine with a hand whisk *. Bring the bowl over bain-marie and beat 4 minutes, using the hand whisk (photo 1). Make sure that the water of bain-marie is not boiling: it has to simmer. Once sugar is melted, take the bowl out of bain-marie and whisk on a high speed 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 each 30 seconds, or melt it over a bain-marie. 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, cheese mascarpone and hazelnut praline in a bowl of the stand mixer * and whisk for 1 minute. Be careful to not over 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.

Pro Tips to Make Cinnamon Pavlova with Fresh Figs

1. Replace brown sugar with dark brown muscovado sugar * if you prefer.
2. Make and use a homemade almond praline, following the recipe where switch pistachios for almonds.
3. If the praline cream begins to split, add some whipping cream and whisk again.
4. Refrigerate the praline cream till serving. Once you fill the meringue nest with the cream and fresh figs, serve immediately.
5. Use roasted almonds (instead of raw pistachios) to decorate the cake.

Frequently Asked Question

What is Bain-Marie?

Bain-marie is a French fancy term of a hot water bath. It is used to make custards and melt chocolate. To make a bain-marie, pour about 3 inches of water in a saucepan and place a heat proof bowl, such as another saucepan or a glass Pyrex bowl, on top of the pan. Make sure that the top bowl fits snugly over the saucepan, so the steam is trapped beneath it. Bring the water to a simmer, place ingredients into the top bowl and follow instructions of the recipe.

Delicious Fig Dessert Recipes You’ll Love

• Fresh Fig And Almond Cake
• Fig Tart With Hazelnut Praline
• Savoury Muffins With Ham And Figs

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The recipe is taken from https://ottolenghi.co.uk/. It is adapted and re-written by me, but the authorship of the recipe belongs to Yotam Ottolenghi and Helen Goh. All posted pictures are mine. 

The recipe was originally published in September, 2018. It has been revised to include improved content and photos.