A showstopper of a vegan dessert, in time for Christmas. Nobody will believe this crispy, mallowy pavlova with coconut cream, chai spices and fruit is completely egg and dairy free!
Ingredients
- 200ml aquafaba, boiled and reduced to 100ml, cold
- 100g icing sugar
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp mixed spice or chai masala
- 125g full-fat coconut cream
- 1 large PersiMon®, finely sliced
- 50g redcurrants
- 1 passion fruit
- Extra icing sugar for dusting on top
Method
- Preheat the oven to 150°C (302°F) fan. Place your can of coconut milk in the fridge without shaking it.
- Pour the reduced and chilled aquafaba into the bowl of a very clean stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until frothy, about 90 seconds.
- Add the vinegar, vanilla extract and mixed spice/chai masala and continue to beat on high speed, adding 1 tbsp icing sugar every minute until all of the sugar has been incorporated.
- Continue to beat the mixture on high speed for a further 6-7 minutes until it forms stiff, glossy peaks. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.
- Using a pencil, draw a 20cm circle on a sheet of baking parchment. Turn it upside down so the pencil outline is on the underside and doesn’t touch the meringue. Place the paper on a large, heavy baking tray.
- Dollop heaped spoonfuls of the meringue around the inside of the circle to create a ring. Be sure to leave a wide gap in the centre, around 6-7cm diameter as the meringue will spread slightly as it bakes.
- Use the spoon to make small but deep craters in each mound of meringue. This is where the cream and fruit will sit later.
- Place the meringue in the oven and immediately turn the temperature down to 100°C (210°F). Bake for 4-5 hours. Turn the oven off and allow the pavlova to cool completely in the oven.
- Once cool, carefully remove the pavlova from the baking parchment and place it on a large serving platter or cake stand.
- Just before serving, open the tin of coconut milk without shaking it. The thick coconut cream should have separated from the coconut water in a large mass. Spoon the cream into a bowl and whisk until smooth and creamy.
- Dollop the coconut cream into the pavlova hollows and top with slices of PersiMon®, redcurrants and passion fruit. Dust with icing sugar and decorate with edible snowflakes (optional). Serve immediately.
Notes: Aquafaba refers to the water from a tin of unsalted chickpeas.
Recipe created by Sanjana Modha, Sanjana Feasts
