Passionfruit curd, raspberry & ube pavlova nests

Ube is a bright purple yam originally from the Philippines. Here it adds a Filipino twist to a classic Australian dessert.

Credit: Kitti Gould

• makes

  15

• prep

  25 minutes

• cook

  1:05 hour

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

Pavlova

• 6 large egg whites, at room temperature
• Pinch of salt
• 1½ cups caster sugar
• 2 tsp cornflour (can be gluten-free)
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 1 tsp ube extract

Passionfruit curd

• 6 egg yolks
• 125 g unsalted butter, chopped
• ¾ cup caster sugar
• ⅔ cup fresh passionfruit pulp (see tip)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

Pineapple topping

• Cooking oil spray
• 1 medium pineapple
• ¼ cup melted butter
• ¼ cup brown sugar 
• 1 tsp lemon juice

Ube cream

• 1½ cups thickened cream
• 2 tbsp icing sugar
• ¼ tsp ube extract 

Extra toppings and garnishes

Fresh raspberries, chopped pistachios and mint leaves (optional)

Chilling time: 1 hour.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 140°C (160°C fan-forced). Line three large baking trays with baking paper.
2. Place the egg whites and salt in the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk egg whites for 1 minute or until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar, a tablespoon at a time, and continue whisking for 10 minutes or until mixture is stiff and glossy.
3. Gently fold in cornflour, vinegar and ube extract until just combined.
4. Spoon meringue into 10 cm nests onto prepared trays. Using the back of a spoon, create an indentation in the centre so that the edge sits higher and allows room for cream and curd when baked.
5. Place meringues in the oven and reduce temperature to 110°C (130°C fan-forced). Bake for 30 minutes. Turn the oven off and leave meringues in there for a further 30 minutes. Do not open the oven door. Transfer meringues to a wire rack to cool completely. Meringues will have a crispy shell and pillowy marshmallow centre.
6. Meanwhile, make passionfruit curd. Place egg yolks, butter, sugar, passionfruit pulp and lemon juice in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring continuously, for 15 minutes until thick and creamy. Transfer to a heatproof bowl and cover with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic wrap flush with the top of the curd to prevent a skin forming. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until chilled.
7. To make the pineapple topping, heat a large grill pan over medium heat and lightly grease with cooking oil spray. Trim the top and bottom of the pineapple and cut away the skin. Cut into thin slices lengthways and cut each slice into 1 cm batons. Brush pineapple with combined butter, brown sugar and lemon juice until well coated. Grill pineapple on the heated grill pan for 1-2 minutes each side, until golden brown and caramelised. Set aside to cool completely. Cut into small pieces.
8. For the ube cream, whisk all ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer until firm peaks form. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
9. To assemble pavlova nests, spoon curd into the crater of each nest. Top with cream and caramelised pineapple. Decorate with extra toppings and garnishes. Enjoy.

Notes

• You will need about 10-15 passionfruit for this recipe.

• Pavlova can be made in advance. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Passion fruit curd can be stored in glass containers. Store in the fridge for up to 10 days, or freeze. You can also enjoy the curd with ice cream, pancakes or use as a filling for cakes and tarts.

This recipe is from A Taste of the Philippines with Yasmin Newman. Photography by Kitti Gould.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.