Mandarin Honey Pavlova; a pillow of marshmallowy meringue piled with fluffy whipped cream, scattered with seasonal fruit, and drizzled with runny honey.
New Zealand, or Aotearoa. Home of hobbits, of mind-blowing landscapes, of the best English-speaking accent, and of course New Zealand’s fourth most popular guitar-based digi-bongo acapella-rap-funk-comedy folk duo. It was also the birthplace and home of my Nana, so it’s got an extra bit of importance for me, personally.
In doing a bit of digging for today’s instalment of Desserts of the World, I’ve found that the cuisine of this world-famous island is a blend of its settlers’ methods and ingredients, with its those of the native Maori. Sharing similarities with, but still being decidedly different from, its bigger and louder neighbour, Australia, New Zealand is a place pretty far-flung from other nations but still much admired and appreciated the world over.
Prefer a recipe video? You can watch me make this pavlova on YouTube by clicking here!
Its nationally-loved dessert, that we are lucky enough to taste and celebrate today, is the Pavlova. Named after world-renowned Russian ballerina, Anna Pavlova, who visited Australia and New Zealand in the 1920s, these two nations have been fighting over who really created this dish for DECADES.
Kiwis claim that a chef in Wellington in New Zealand created the Pavlova in her honour, citing the dancer’s tutu as inspiration for the white meringue and cream combination. While Aussies claim that a chef in Perth in Western Australia, created the dessert. Dictionaries and recipe books have been seen to side with New Zealand on this. Plus, we’ve already covered Australia and their lovely Lamingtons in this series (and there’s a bit of personal bias on my part) so we’re giving this title to the Kiwis.
History aside, let’s talk about the pav. A pillow of marshmallowy meringue, baked lowly and slowly to create a crisp exterior to smash through. A cloud of fluffy whipped cream piled generously on top. A scattering of seasonal fruit. This dessert seems decidedly summery in its chilled lightness, but also perfect for a refreshing lift in the heavy-food-laden winter months.
While its classic version is perfect in its plainness, it’s also a really customisable dessert. Fresh berries and vanilla cream work well together, tangerine segments and cocoa-laced meringue work well together, pomegranate seeds and booze-spiked cream work well together. You can make and eat this however you like, as long as you get that meringue just right.
The version you see in front of you in a very late winter take on the pavlova. While most images you’ll see online are piled high with blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and delicately sliced mint leaves, this recipe is as seasonal as I could make it. Mandarins are so cheap and abundant in January here in Italy that I just couldn’t resist, plus the only available berries are the frozen-and-prone-to-leaking-juice-everywhere kind. I do think this tangy winter citrus fruit pairs really well with the sweetness of the meringue and the lightness of the cream. A drizzling of honey not only adds a drop of extra flavour, but also brings the whole thing together aesthetically too.
That said, whenever and wherever you are reading this from, using your best local seasonal fruit will be your best bet. Whether those are late spring berries, late summer nectarines, or poached autumn pears, this pav is ready to adapt.
Now, enough chat. I’ll go put the kettle on, and let’s make a pavlova.
Want to save this Mandarin Honey Pavlova for later? You can pin the image below!
To make this Mandarin Honey Pavlova, simply follow the recipe below:
Ingredients
For the meringue:
- 4 large egg whites
- 200g (1 cup) caster sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tsp cornflour
- 1 tsp white vinegar
For the topping and decoration:
- 300ml (1¼ cups) double or whipping cream
- 2-3 small mandarins (you can also use berries, banana, kiwi, tangerine, pomegranate, or whatever you like!)
- 2 tsp runny honey
Instructions
For the meringue:
- Line a large flat oven tray with greaseproof paper and preheat your oven – 180 C / 160 C fan / gas mark 4 / 350 F.
- In a large bowl, using an electric whisk, beat together the egg whites and salt until they are holding soft peaks
- Start adding the sugar, a spoonful at a time, while whisking constantly.
- Once you have a firm, glossy mixture, gently fold in the cornflour and vinegar using a large (ideally metal) spoon until just combined.
- Dollop the meringue mixture onto the lined tray, in a circle no wider than 23cm (9 in). Smooth and shape it gently with a spatula so that it is even all over.
- Pop the tray into the oven and immediately turn the heat down to 150 C / 130 C fan / gas mark 3 / 300 F and cook for 1 hour. Switch off the oven, keeping the door closed, and leave inside until cooled, this will take approximately 1 hour.
- Once the big meringue is cool to the touch, lift it carefully onto your serving plate.
For the topping and decoration:
- In a large clean bowl, whisk the cream until thick but soft.
- Use a spoon or palette knife to dollop and spread the cream over the top of the meringue.
- Slice or chop your mandarins to your preferred size. Scatter the fruit loosely or arrange it neatly, however you like!
- Drizzle the honey generously over the finished pavlova just before serving.
- Enjoy!
BE A MAVERICK: why not try drizzling melted dark chocolate or sprinkling a pinch of sea salt over the finished pavlova before serving?
This Mandarin Honey Pavlova will keep well in the fridge for about 24 hours, but is best eaten immediately!
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