Recipe: Pomegranate Pavlova with April in Paris
by Maggie Frank
June 06, 2023
Pavlovas are a baked meringue treat often topped with whipped cream, fruit, and sometimes even citrus curds! They're crispy on the outside and marshmallowy and soft on the inside. Usually, you make one large one to slice and share with the crowd, but you can also make small individual Palvolas. That's what I used to make when I worked in restaurants.
They're easy and look impressive, so let's get into it.
The Ingredients
April in Paris Tea
Oh, what a treat. April in Paris is my favorite tea to make a tea steamer out of because of its subtle sweet notes. Hints of pomegranate, vanilla, and caramel work so well in a dessert. We will use it to make whipped cream which is to die for. April in Paris is also made from black and oolong teas so it has a high amount of caffeine to help perk up your day.
Egg Whites
The main ingredient in any meringue is egg whites. They can be a bit temperamental, so follow these notes for success. To whip egg whites into a meringue you will want to use fresh eggs that you can separate yourself. Pre-separated eggs won't whip up the same. They tend to make a soft and dull meringue. We want crisp and glossy. If you're making a large batch you should also be sure to use room-temperature eggs because they will whip up quickly and are less likely to start separating from being over mixed.
Pomegranate Pavlova with April in Paris Tea
Yield: 3 individual pavlovas
Ingredients
The Meringue
2 large egg whites
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
Pinch of cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
White vinegar (as needed)
The Whipped Cream
1 cup white granulated sugar
1 tablespoon April in Paris tea
1 cup heavy whipping cream
Pomegranate and other fruits/berries of choice, for garnish
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350F2. Using a standing mixer, prepare to make the meringue. You need to ensure you have a very clean mixing bowl and whisk, free from any fat that butter or oil can leave behind. Clean your bowl well and then wipe the inside of it clean with a paper towel soaked with a bit of white vinegar. Do the same with your whisk attachment.
3. Separate your egg whites into your bowl, add the cream of tartar, and begin whipping on high speed. Once the eggs have become foamy, add ¼ cup of sugar. Continue mixing.
When the eggs have begun to get some body, add the other ¼ cup of sugar. Continue whisking until the eggs have reached a stiff peak. This could take up to 5 minutes. Or up to 10 minutes by hand.
You will know you have stiff peaks if you can hold your whisk upright and the extra meringue hanging off the end sticks up and just curls over a bit at the end. Be careful to not over mix! When your eggs are full of air and nice and glossy, fold in the cornstarch.
4. On a parchment paper-lined baking pan spoon your meringue into three dollops. The shape should be playful, don't worry about making them perfect. Once you have your three piles. Using the back of a spoon push down into the center of each pavlova creating a creator. This is what will hold your toppings!
5. Place pavlovas into the preheated oven and as soon as you shut the door turn your oven down to just 200F. We want to slowly dry out the meringue!
6. Bake for 35 minutes or until you just start to see browning and your pavlova feels dry and hollow.
7. Set aside to cool
8. While that cools, start the filling. In the body of a food processor, add the sugar and lose tea. Process this until the tea breaks down and the sugar starts to become powdery.
9. Then using a mesh strainer, sift out any larger pieces of tea that didn't get processed. Discard the larger pieces.
10. Add the tea-infused sugar to a bowl along with the heavy whipping cream. Whip until your desired peak forms. Again, be careful not to over-whip.
11. Once your pavlovas are cooled, add a dollop of whipped cream into the center of each and decorate with pomegranate and any other fruit of your choice! Enjoy!