Pretty piped meringue shells create a fanciful vessel for sumptuous Passionfruit Curd and a medley of fresh fruit. Pictured with our Coconut Madeleine Clamshells and Mango Swiss Roll.
Tropical Pavlovas with Passionfruit Curd
Serves: approximately 16
Ingredients
- 3 large egg whites, room temperature
- 3⁄4 cup granulated sugar
- 1⁄4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
- 1⁄2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Passionfruit Curd (recipe follows)
- Garnish: halved raspberries; 1⁄4-teaspoon scoops dragon fruit; peeled, sliced, and quartered kiwi; and fresh mint sprigs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°. Line 2 large, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a pencil, draw 8 (1 1⁄2-inch) circles onto each parchment paper sheet; turn parchment paper over.
- In the heatproof bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together egg whites, sugar, and salt by hand. Place bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Cook, whisking occasionally, until sugar dissolves and an instant-read thermometer registers 160°, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Carefully return bowl to stand mixer. With the whisk attachment, beat mixture at high speed until smooth, creamy, and white, approximately 4 minutes. (Bowl might still be warm to the touch.)
- In a small bowl, stir together cornstarch, vinegar, and vanilla extract. Add cornstarch mixture to egg white mixture, beating until combined, approximately 15 seconds.
- Spoon meringue into a piping bag fitted with a closed star tip (Wilton #2D). Starting in the center of each circle, pipe concentric circles of meringue outward until each drawn circle is filled. Pipe an extra layer onto perimeters to form a rim around the edge of each circle. (If divot in center is too small, take a small offset spatula and swirl a small hole into center of each meringue.)
- Bake until meringues are crisp and release easily from parchment paper, approximately 50 minutes. Turn oven off, and let meringues stand in oven with door closed for 1 to 2 hours or overnight.
- Just before serving, spoon 1 to 2 tablespoons Passionfruit Curd into each meringue.
- Garnish with raspberries, dragon fruit, kiwi, and mint, if desired.
Notes
Make-Ahead Tip: Meringues can be made the night before and kept in closed oven to protect from humidity. Use within a day.
Passionfruit Curd
Serves: approximately 1 cup
Ingredients
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1⁄3 cup granulated sugar
- 1⁄3 cup passionfruit pulp, fresh or frozen and thawed
- 1⁄4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1⁄4 cup unsalted butter, cubed and softened
Instructions
- In a small heavy saucepan, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, passionfruit pulp, and salt until blended. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until thick and can coat the back of a spoon and an instant-read thermometer registers 170° to 180°, 8 to 10 minutes. Immediately remove from heat.
- Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium heatproof bowl, discarding solids. Stir in butter, a cube at a time, until combined and mixture is smooth after each addition. Cover curd with a piece of plastic wrap, pressing wrap directly onto surface of curd to prevent a skin from forming. Let cool completely. Transfer curd to an airtight container, refrigerate, and use within a week.
