Mini pavlovas with raspberry cream and figs

Planning an Australia Day feast? Raspberries and figs are both in season late January, so it's the perfect time to try this tasty pavlova recipe.

Preparation time

35 minutes 

Cooking/cooling time

2.5 hours

*Tip: Meringue nests freeze well and defrost in moments, so you can make the nests ahead of time to save time on the day.

Serves

9

Ingredients

3 cups raspberries, in three lots (for the coulis, cream and to decorate)

8 figs, sliced into small wedges

1 cup whipping cream

3 egg whites

250g sugar, in two lots (150g for meringues, 100g for coulis)

1 tbsp icing sugar

1/4 cup water

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp lemon juice (in two lots)

Method

Meringue nests (10 minutes prep, 2.5 hrs total)

• Pre-heat your oven to 100C and line two baking trays with baking paper.
• Pour your egg whites and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice into a large mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, whisk slowly at first, then at a medium speed, until the the egg whites become white and fluffy, and form soft peaks when your mixer is pulled out.
• While whisking, add 150g caster sugar a teaspoon at a time, making sure each is fully incorporated before adding the next. When all of the sugar has been added the mixture should be nice and glossy.
• Using a piping bag, start piping each meringue onto one baking tray, beginning with a round spiral base, and without lifting the tip, piping 2-3 circles on top of the outer edge to create a nest.
• Optional: Pipe a dozen tiny meringues onto your second baking tray to decorate when serving.
• Bake for an hour and forty five minutes, then turn off the oven and allow the meringues to slowly cool down for another forty five minutes inside the warm closed oven.

Raspberry coulis (15 minutes prep, 2.5 hrs total)

• Place 1 cup of raspberries, 100g caster sugar, water and salt in a saucepan and simmer until sugar has fully dissolved. Do not boil.
• Transfer into a food processor and process until smooth. Pass through a strainer to discard seeds.
• Transfer into a bowl and refrigerate for two hours.

Raspberry cream (5 minutes)

• Place 1 cup of raspberries in a food processor and process until smooth. Pass through a strainer to discard seeds. 
• Combine cream and icing sugar in a large bowl and whisk together until soft peaks form.
• Refrigerate until required.

Assembly (5 minutes)

• Pipe each meringue nest with raspberry cream, drizzle with a tablespoon of coulis, then top with two or three fresh raspberries and a fig wedge.
• Decorate plates with remaining fruit and tiny meringue peaks.