Don’t you just love a pavlova? Who can resist the soft, pillowy clouds of meringue covered in light, luscious Chantilly cream and summer berries or tropical fruits? This favorite dessert of many is often relegated to summertime, but it doesn’t have to be. I’ve created a triple-layer meringue crown that lets autumn fruits and flavors shine. It’s a pavlova fit for a Thanksgiving feast!
To begin with, I added my signature chai spice blend to the meringue, which cuts the sweetness but also imbues it with a warmth that summer pavlovas don’t have or, for that matter, need. For the Chantilly cream, I used a 3-to-1 ratio of heavy cream and crème fraiche and sweetened it with maple syrup, giving it a depth of flavor that pairs well with the sharpness of the fruits and the sweet meringue.
The first layer is topped with that most classic of fall fruits, apples, sliced thin and cooked just until tender with cinnamon, brandy and a hint of vanilla. The second layer features a gingery cranberry compote simmered with orange and cinnamon for a bright, holiday-infused flavor. Finally, the top layer is piled high with spiced pecan halves, pomegranate arils and candied orange zest and garnished with sugared cranberries to create a seasonal centerpiece worthy of any holiday festal table.
A Pavlova by Any Other Name
The brief for this signature bake in the final of the 2016 Bake Off competition was for a filled meringue crown with at least three layers of meringue that must be “dazzlingly decorated.” Paul Hollywood said this challenge was chosen because the contestants had struggled with meringue in the past. Because meringue can be quite sweet, he added, fruit — in the form of curd or compote or “whatever” — is needed to balance out the sweetness. Mary Berry’s only requirements were that it “taste good, look good and be spectacular.” (No presh!)
I haven’t been able to track down the difference between a pavlova and a meringue crown, except perhaps in their shapes. Although both are generally round and filled with cream as well as fruit, preserves or curd, some pavlovas are freeform or spread with a spatula, while meringue crowns tend to be piped to create rosettes or peaks to resemble a crown.
Pavlovas, of course, are named after Anna Pavlova, the famed Russian ballerina of the early 20th century whose world tours spread her love of ballet to the masses. But it was the people’s love for her that inspired chefs to name many dishes after her. A recipe for strawberries pavlova, a bright red glacé adorned with raspberries, appeared in the New Zealand Herald in 1911; and a frogs’ legs pavlova was served in New York. But the meringue-based pavlova, so named because it resembles the fluffy white tutu of a classic ballerina, is the dish that prevailed.
Meringue desserts long predated Anna Pavlova. I have dealt with that history before. But perhaps she can take credit for spreading this light-as-air confection around the world, just as she did her art.
My triple crown may look more like a Regency-era French courtier’s wig, but the blend of marshmallowy meringue, sharp cranberries and tart apples mellowed with warm cinnamon and ginger, along with the added crunch of pecans and pomegranate seeds, is truly a crowning achievement. The friends I shared it with raved. It proved to me, once and for all, that pavlova should be considered a year-round treat, fit for a queen.
Fall Fruits Meringue Triple Crown
Credit for apple filling: JustAPinch.com
Credit for spiced pecans: TheRealFoodDietitians.com
Recipe for candied orange zest adapted from FoodNetwork.com
For the chai-spiced meringue:
- 10½ oz. egg whites (from approximately 10 large eggs) at room temperature
- 2½ c. superfine (baker’s) sugar
- 2½ t. white vinegar
- 3 T. cornstarch
- 1½ t. chai spice blend*
For the cinnamon apple filling:
- 2 Granny Smith apples
- 3 T. brandy
- ¼ t. cornstarch
- 2 T. butter
- ¼ c. brown sugar
- ½ t. vanilla
- ¼ t. cinnamon
- 1/8 t. nutmeg
- 1/8 t. allspice
For the cranberry ginger compote:
- 6 oz. cranberries, fresh or frozen
- ½ c. sugar
- 1/3 c. ginger beer (or ginger ale)
- 1 T. crystallized ginger, chopped
- ½ orange, sliced
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ¼ c. applesauce
For the spiced pecans:
- 1½ c. pecan halves
- 3 T. maple syrup
- ½ t. cinnamon
- 1/8 t. ginger
- 1/8 t. cloves
- 1/8 t. nutmeg
- 1/8 t. cardamom
- 1 pinch salt
For the candied orange zest:
- 1 large orange (zest only)
- 2/3 c. water, divided
- 1/3 c. + 3 T. sugar, divided
For the maple whipped cream with crème fraiche:
- 2/3 c. crème fraîche
- 4-7 T. maple syrup (to taste)
- 3/8 t. maple extract (or to taste)
- 2 c. heavy whipping cream
For assembly:
- Reserved syrup from candied orange zest
- Fresh cranberries
- ¼ c. sugar
- Rosemary sprigs (optional)
- Pomegranate arils
Directions
- To make the meringues, first preheat oven to 400°F. Make sure your mixing bowl and beaters are thoroughly clean; if there’s any fat or oil on them the meringue will not beat up stiffly. (Some people wipe their bowls and beaters with lemon juice or vinegar as an extra precaution.)
- Use plates or cake pans to trace three different-sized circles onto parchment paper: 7 inches, 8 inches and 9 inches in diameter. Turn the paper upside down onto two or three baking sheets so the pencil marks won’t rub off on the meringue. If two circles share a baking sheet, leave a 2-inch margin between them in case of spreading.
- Whisk egg whites with an electric mixer on low speed at first, then gradually increase speed. When they start to get fluffy, add the vinegar and cornstarch. Continue beating while adding the sugar a spoonful at a time. When all the sugar is incorporated and has dissolved (The meringue should not feel gritty when rubbed between your finger and thumb.), add the spices. Continue whipping until stiff peaks form when the beater is lifted out of the bowl. (You can also try turning the bowl upside down over your head to see if it falls out!)
- Transfer half the meringue to a large piping bag fitted with a plain round, half-inch tip. Pipe meringue onto the largest parchment circle, starting with the outer border, creating giant meringue “kisses” to make it look like a crown. Continue filling in the middle of the circle with smaller “kisses.” Repeat with the other two circles, refilling the piping bag as needed.
- Reduce oven to 265°F. Place the baking sheets in the oven and bake the meringues for 1-1¼ hours. (When done, they should feel dry to the touch and lift off the parchment easily.) Turn off the oven and leave meringues in the oven with the door slightly ajar until cool. (This helps to reduce cracking.)
- To make the apple filling, peel, core and slice the apples. Mix together 1 tablespoon brandy with the cornstarch and set aside. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan, then add the brown sugar. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Then stir the brandy/cornstarch mixture, vanilla, nutmeg, allspice and cinnamon into the sugar mixture. Next, add the sliced apples and cook for 7 to 10 minutes or until they are just fork tender. Remove from heat and let apples sit for a few minutes, then stir in the last 2 tablespoons of brandy. Allow to cool.
- To make the cranberry compote, stir cranberries, sugar, ginger beer and crystallized ginger together in a medium saucepan. Add orange slices and the cinnamon stick. Over medium heat, stir occasionally until boiling, then reduce heat to simmer. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the cranberries have popped. (You can press the rest of them against the side of the pan with a spoon to pop them.) Remove from heat. Carefully remove the orange slices and cinnamon stick. Stir in applesauce and allow to cool.
- To make the spiced pecans, first preheat the oven to 350ºF and cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place pecans in a medium bowl and stir in the maple syrup until all the nuts are coated. Add spices and stir well. Spread pecans evenly over the parchment paper. Bake 15-20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until nuts are toasted and any liquid has been absorbed. Remove from oven and use a wooden spoon to break apart any pecans that stick together. Leave to cool.
- To make the candied orange zest, remove zest from oranges in long, thin strands, avoiding the white pith. In a small saucepan, bring zest and 1/3 cup cold water to a boil. Boil, uncovered, for 7 minutes, then remove from heat and pour through a sieve to drain, discarding the water. Set zest aside.
- Add 1/3 cup sugar and another 1/3 cup water to the same pan. Heat while stirring, until sugar is dissolved and the syrup is boiling. Add the zest to the pan and reduce heat to simmer. Cook for 20 minutes, swirling pan from time to time.
- Use a fork or small strainer to remove zest from the pan, separating the strands and placing them on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. (Reserve the syrup for the sugared cranberries and rosemary sprigs.)
- Put the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar in a shallow dish. Add the zest and toss to coat. Spread the candied zest on parchment paper to dry for about 30 minutes.
- To make the maple whipped cream, whisk together the crème fraîche, 2 tablespoons maple syrup and the maple extract In a small bowl until smooth. Set aside.
- Using an electric mixer, whip the heavy cream in a large bowl until it reaches soft-peak stage. Stir the crème fraîche mixture into the whipped cream and taste. Add more maple syrup, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it’s just sweet enough. (Don’t overdo it; the whipped cream should help offset the sweetness of the meringue.) Whip a few seconds more until stiff peaks form.
- Transfer whipped cream to a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Place in a tall glass or canning jar in the fridge until ready to use.
- To make the sugared cranberries, warm the reserved sugar syrup. (If it’s too thick, add a little water.) Remove from heat and add the cranberries. Stir until they are all coated with syrup, then use a slotted spoon to transfer the cranberries to a wire rack placed over a rimmed baking sheet or parchment paper to catch the drips. Leave to dry for about half an hour, then roll them in sugar to coat.
- Dip rosemary sprigs (if using) in the same sugar syrup, then shake off excess syrup and dip them in sugar to coat. Transfer to wire rack to dry.
- To assemble the crown, place the 9-inch meringue layer on a serving plate and pipe a third of the whipped cream on top of the meringue, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge. Spread the brandied apples on top of the cream. Place the 8-inch meringue on top of that and pipe another third of the whipped cream on top, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge, then top with the cranberry compote. (You may not need all of the compote.) Top that with the 7-inch meringue and the last third of the cream, then sprinkle with the pecans, pomegranate arils and orange zest. Garnish with sugared cranberries and rosemary (if using).
- The meringue crown is best served immediately.
Up next: Victoria Sandwich
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