Autumn fruit pavlova

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Graham Campbell's autumn fruit pavolva recipe is very simple to put together, and makes the most of seasonal blackberries, figs and plums. Distilled malt vinegar is used to stabilise the meringues, which allows them to incorporate more air for a lighter texture.

First published in 2017

Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Meringues

  • 8 egg whites
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 1 tsp distilled malt vinegar
  • 5g of cornflour
  • 400g of caster sugar
  • 1 vanilla pod

Vanilla cream

  • 300ml of double cream
  • 50g of caster sugar
  • 1 vanilla pod

Blackberry purée

Autumn fruits

Equipment

  • Blender

Method

1
To make the meringue, preheat the oven to 100°C/gas mark ¼
2
Place the egg whites in a bowl and start to whisk. Add the salt and whisk to soft peaks
3
Whisk in the vinegar and slowly sift in the cornflour
  • 5g of cornflour
  • 1 tsp distilled malt vinegar
4
Add the caster sugar slowly, continuing to whisk until the meringue thickens. Split and scrape the seeds out of the vanilla pod, add the vanilla seeds and whisk to stiff peaks
  • 400g of caster sugar
  • 1 vanilla pod
5
Spoon the meringue into 6 mounds on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and shape into circles. Bake for about 2 ½ hours until dry and crisp
6
Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack
7
To prepare the cream, scrape the vanilla seeds from the pod and add to a bowl with the cream and sugar. Whip the cream until it forms soft peaks
  • 300ml of double cream
  • 50g of caster sugar
  • 1 vanilla pod
8
To make the blackberry purée, add the berries to a blender and blitz until smooth. Taste the purée and add the icing sugar if it's a little too tart
9
Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6
10
Quarter the figs and cut the plums into sixths. Roast in the oven with a drizzle of honey for 5–10 minutes, until golden and just starting to soften
11
To assemble the pavlovas, lightly bash the tops of the the meringues and add a generous dollop of cream to each one. Drizzle with some of the blackberry purée and top with the plums, figs and the remaining fresh blackberries. Finish with a dusting of icing sugar

Despite his relatively young age, Graham Campbell possesses the gastronomic confidence and assured touch of a seasoned pro.

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