Black is back. Switch up your classic pavlova recipe thanks Mark Best and Queen Garnet plums!
They say that once you go black, you can never go back. And this Plum Pavlova recipe proves exactly that.
Grown Australia-wide, despite fresh Queen Garnet plums only being in season from late January to early April, we’re excited to share this delicious Plum Pavlova recipe developed by Australia’s leading chef and restauranteur Mark Best.
Sweet, tangy and sometimes tarty, this Plum Pavlova recipe is equally sweet as it is addictive thanks to whisked mascarpone to balance out the overruling flavours. Best served in the afternoon or at your next dinner party for dessert, we recommend a freshly brewed pot of tea for this delicious creation.
Duration: 3.5 hours | Difficulty: Medium | Servings: 4
INGREDIENTS:
300g egg whites
300g castor sugar
300g icing sugar
60mL black colouring gel
10 Queen Garnet plums
2 star anise, crushed
100g brown sugar
250g mascarpone
250mL pouring cream, whipped
100g icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
METHOD:
1. Whip the egg whites and castor sugar to a stiff meringue.
2. Then, add the black colouring gel to achieve your colour preference.
3. Using a spatula, fold in one part of the icing sugar at a time. Gently transfer mixture to a piping bag.
4. Pipe the pavlova mixture into 3 x 30cm rounds on lined baking sheets (using baking paper). Bake in the AEG SteamPro oven on 120°C for 2-3 hours on low fan until crisp. Once finished, turn off the oven, open the door halfway and leave inside of the oven to cool completely and to minimise cracking.
5. Meanwhile, halve the plums and remove the seeds. Use a blow torch to remove the skins.
6. Place the peeled plums into a large baking pan with the powdered star anise and brown sugar. Cook at 170°C until the plums are soft.
7. In a separate bowl, add the mascarpone, vanilla extract and 100g of icing sugar. Whip until stiff peaks form.
8. Finally, fold the pouring cream into the mascarpone mixture.
9. To construct, divide the cream and plums on top of two meringues. Lay one on top of the other and finish with the third meringue.
10. To serve, use additional piped or crushed meringue to garnish the top with rough cuts of Queen Garnet plums. Serve immediately.
Looking for more plum dessert recipes? We have a Plum Tarte Tatin Recipe that takes less than 30-minutes to make! Or, for something more sweeter, you can also try this Homemade Sweet Plum Swirl Ice-Cream Block Recipe.
