Passion Fruit Pavlova with Vanilla Chantilly

⏱ 210 min · Serves 8

A cloud of crisp-shelled, marshmallow-centred meringue piled with billowing vanilla Chantilly and a slick of sharp passion fruit curd, finished with fresh pulp and seeds that crackle like tiny jewels. Sweet, sour, dramatic — and easier than it looks.

Per serving: 476 kcal · 5.4g protein · 48.0g carbs · 29.0g fat

Ingredients

• 4 large egg whites (about 140g), at room temperature
• 250g caster sugar
• 1 tsp cornflour
• 1 tsp white wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of fine salt
• For the passion fruit curd:
• 8 passion fruit (about 120ml sieved juice)
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 whole egg
• 80g caster sugar
• 60g unsalted butter, cubed
• For the Chantilly cream:
• 400ml double cream, well chilled
• 30g icing sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• To finish:
• 3-4 passion fruit, halved
• Fresh mint leaves (optional)

Method

1. Heat the oven to 150C fan/170C conventional. Draw a 22cm circle on baking paper, flip it ink-side down onto a baking tray.
2. Whisk the egg whites with the salt in a spotlessly clean bowl to soft peaks. Add the caster sugar a tablespoon at a time, whisking well between additions, until the meringue is stiff, glossy and no longer feels gritty between your fingers (about 8-10 minutes).
3. Fold in the cornflour, vinegar and vanilla with a spatula.
4. Pile the meringue onto the circle, spreading to the edges and swooping the sides upward with a palette knife. Make a shallow dip in the centre for the filling.
5. Put the pavlova in the oven and immediately drop the temperature to 110C fan/130C conventional. Bake for 90 minutes, then turn the oven off and leave the pavlova inside, door shut, to cool completely — ideally 2 hours or overnight.
6. Meanwhile make the curd: scoop the pulp of 8 passion fruit into a sieve and press to get about 120ml juice. Whisk with the yolks, whole egg and sugar in a heatproof bowl.
7. Set over barely simmering water and stir constantly for 8-10 minutes until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Off the heat, whisk in the butter a cube at a time. Cover and chill until cold and set.
8. Whip the double cream with the icing sugar and vanilla paste to soft, floppy peaks — stop while it still wobbles. Overwhipped cream is grainy.
9. Sit the cooled meringue on a serving plate. Spoon over the Chantilly, swirl through half the curd with a spoon so it marbles, then dollop the rest on top.
10. Scoop over the fresh passion fruit pulp, scatter with mint and serve within the hour, cutting with a serrated knife.