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 are 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. So I get the most out of fig season every year.

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

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 the 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, mini Pavlovas are another variation.

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

Why you should try this recipe

1. Adding brown sugar and baking the meringue base 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 centre of the Pavlova shell 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 meringue.
5. Drizzle of honey and chopped pistachios on top of the cake give a beautiful and tasty touch.

Ingredients

Here is a quick overview of what ingredients you will need. Follow the full recipe below for exact amounts and instructions. I recommend making the 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. Use an egg separator: it is so helpful!

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

Sugar: use regular granulated sugar or caster 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 golden 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 results.

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. Replace it with milk chocolate or white chocolate if desired.

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

Honey: your favorite brand of honey as a topping.

Mascarpone cheese: use your favorite brand of mascarpone, too.

How to make fig Pavlova

Heat oven to 250 degrees F/120 C. Get ready a large baking tray covered with parchment paper. 

Draw a 9-inch circle (23 cm in diameter) with a pencil and turn the baking paper so that the drawn circle 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 water bath and beat egg whites for 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 the water bath. Next, transfer the meringue mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.

Whisk it at high speed for 5 minutes until the stiff peaks form (photo 2).

Add cinnamon and whisk again (photo 3). Spoon meringue into the center of the circle on a lined baking sheet.

Form the nest using a palette knife or the back of a spoon. Try to lift the edges of the meringue nest (photo 4).

Bake in the preheated oven for 3 hours. Once the meringue is ready, turn oven off, but do not remove the meringue from the oven.

Let it cool with the closed oven door for 2 hours (photo 5). 

Melt dark chocolate in a microwave, stirring every 30 seconds, or melt it over a double boiler.

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

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

Be careful not to 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, place the cooled Pavlova meringue on a serving dish.

Garnish the center of the cake with the praline cream and arrange fresh figs (photo 9).

Warm honey in a water bath and add raw pistachios. Pour the honey and nuts mixture on top of the Pavlova (photo 10). Serve immediately.

Recipe variations

The original fig Pavlova recipe, a creation of Yotam Ottolenghi and Helen Goh, is made with dark brown muscovado sugar and flavored with cinnamon.

You can experiment with different types of sugar: golden brown sugar, cane sugar, or white sugar.

The dry and crunchy center of the Pavlova is covered with a layer of dark chocolate. You can easily replace it with milk or white chocolate.

The mascarpone-based cream is flavored with almond praline. Feel free to replace it with a homemade hazelnut praline paste or a store-bought hazelnut praline.

Finally, use a well-known whipped cream instead of praline cream and fruit of your choice. Make your life easier with Pavlova recipes!

Flavor the whipped cream with rose water, vanilla extract, or orange blossom water if desired.

Storage

Pavlova is a delicious and satisfying dessert that has to be enjoyed fresh.

Once it is assembled, you have to eat the Pavlova right away or store leftovers in the refrigerator for no longer than 24 hours.

Unfortunately, you cannot freeze the assembled Pavlova. But the meringue shell can survive in the freezer for up to three months.

To do so, transfer the cooled Pavlova meringue to a baking sheet lined with parchment and freeze for at least 3 hours.

Then place it in a freezer bag, remove as much air as possible, seal and label the bag, and freeze for up to 3 months.

To thaw, simply bring the meringue back and let it sit at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours before serving.

Expert Tips

1. Read on eight tips to make the perfect meringue.
2. 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.
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 cream and fresh figs, serve immediately.

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The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.

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.