Christmas Pavlova

My Christmas pavlova wreath is a great show-stopping dessert, yet is surprisingly simple to make. Flavoured with orange, figs and ginger this makes a beautiful centrepiece for any table, but none more so than the Christmas lunch table.

I've chosen to make my festive Christmas pavlova in the shape of a wreath, but you can make the pavlova any shape you like. You can even make individual meringue nests if you prefer.

Despite appearances this Christmas pavlova recipe is deceptively easy to make! Just follow the steps and don't rush the process.

Use fresh eggs to make the meringue as they are best for keeping the meringue stable. You can also buy egg whites in cartons in the refrigerated section of the supermarket and this is a great way of reducing waste.

However, I always make a jar of homemade mayonnaise with the egg yolks. That way I always have good quality mayo to add to my turkey sandwich on Boxing day!

Why you'll love this recipe

• This impressive dessert makes a great centrepiece for the Christmas dessert table.
• Feed a crowd as this dessert will serve between 12 and 15 diners.
• Make the meringue wreath the day before, along with the ginger cream. Then all you need to do is cook the figs and assemble the dessert the next day.
• A great gluten free dessert for coeliacs or anyone following a gluten free diet.

Recipe ingredients

• Egg whites - I used the whites from 6 large eggs to make the meringue wreath. You can often buy egg whites in cartons in the supermarket, they work perfectly in this recipe and are a great way of not wasting egg yolks.
• Sugar - I always use fine caster sugar when making meringues as it whips easily into the egg whites. I also use icing sugar (powdered sugar) in this recipe, to sweeten the cream. Finally I add light muscovado sugar which gives the fig syrup depth of flavour.
• Cornflour - I use cornflour (cornstarch) which helps to stabilise the meringue while it bakes.
• Vinegar - I use a teaspoon of white wine vinegar which also helps to stabilise the meringue and give it structure.
• Cream - I use whipped and sweetened double cream (heavy cream) to top the meringue wreath. You could also use whipping cream if you prefer, which doesn't overwhip quite as easily as double cream.
• Stem ginger - I add finely chopped stem ginger to the cream, along with some of the syrup from the jar to flavour the cream.
• Orange - I use fresh orange segments to top the meringue. You could also use mandarins, satsumas or clementines.
• Figs - I use fresh figs which I cook a little in butter and sugar to make a delicious syrup for drizzling over the pavlova.
• Butter - I used salted butter to cook the figs. I like to use salted butter as the salt balance the sweetness in the syrup.
• Ground ginger - I enhance the flavour of ginger in this recipe by adding some ground ginger to the fig syrup.
• Cointreau - I add this orange flavoured liqueur to the syrup, you could also use Grand Marnier or Triple Sec.

How to make Christmas pavlova

How to make a meringue wreath

• Preheat the oven to 160C/140CFan/320F. Line a large baking sheet with baking parchment or a silicone baking mat.
• If you are using whole eggs, separate the egg whites and yolks, set aside the yolks for another use (mayonnaise, custard, etc) and place the eggs whites in a large mixing bowl.
• Whisk the egg whites until they start to become frothy and form soft peaks. Gradually add the sugar one spoon at a time, allowing time in between each spoonful for the sugar to be thoroughly whisked in.
• Continue to incorporate all the sugar then add the cornflour & white wine vinegar and whisk until you have stiff peaks and the mixture is shiny.

TOP TIP: Always use fresh eggs. The egg white from older eggs will whisk up faster but won't hold the air bubbles in quite the same way as fresh eggs, resulting in the meringue collapsing.

• Place a small bowl, roughly 5"/13cm in diameter, into the centre of the lined baking sheet. Spoon the mixture around the bowl to form a wreath shape.
• Use a spoon to gently make a trench in the top of the meringue, this will allow for the cream to be filled in. Then gently remove the bowl.
• Now turn the oven down to 140C/120CFan/285F. Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven for 1 hour, without opening the door.
• After the hour, check the meringues. You will want the meringue to be completely set and feel like it's starting to pull away from the base of the baking sheet. If not fully baked then continue to bake for another 10-15 minutes.
• After that time, turn off the oven but allow the meringues to cool completely in the oven. Open the door now and again to let any steam or moisture out. Do not remove until fully cooled as the meringue will crack if cooled too fast.

TOP TIP: If you would prefer to make smaller individual desserts, form the meringue into smaller meringue nests. Simply divide the meringue into the number of smaller nests that you require.

Making the ginger cream

• Start by grating then chopping the stem ginger. Set aside.
• In a clean bowl, whisk the double cream to form stiff peaks, then add the icing sugar, stem ginger and syrup. Completely mix together.
• Cover and place in the fridge until you are ready to assemble the pavlova.

TOP TIP: Take care when whipping the double cream, you want stiff peaks, but don't overwhip the cream or you'll end up with butter.

Preparing the fruit

• Prepare the orange segments by peeling the oranges and then cutting into segments between the white pith to form wedges. Then cut in half to form small bite-sized pieces. Set aside until the figs are prepared.
• Melt the butter in a non stick skillet over medium low heat, add the sugar and allow to melt into the butter.
• Place the figs into the pan skin side up and allow to gently cook until just turning soft and sticky. Add the ground ginger and stir through.
• Finish the figs with a splash of Cointreau and remove from the heat. Set aside to cool.

Assembling the Christmas pavlova wreath

• Once the meringue is fully cooled you can start to assemble.
• Place the meringue wreath onto a large plate or cake stand.
• Gently spoon on the whipped ginger cream, taking care not to press down too hard and break the meringue.

• Top the cream with the orange segments.
• To finish assembling the pavlova, top with the figs. Drizzle the fig syrup sauce over the top.
• Serve immediately or store in the fridge until ready to serve.

Recipe variations

I have used seasonal fruit in this Christmas Pavlova, oranges and figs are beautiful at this time of year. However, use the fruit you and your family enjoy eating. Here are some topping suggestions:

• Fresh or frozen berries (raspberries; strawberries; blackberries; redcurrants and blackcurrants)
• Tropical fruits (mango; pineapple; passion fruit)
• Poached spiced apples or pears
• Flavour the cream with a teaspoon of vanilla extract instead of ginger
• Drizzle with melted chocolate, salted caramel sauce, runny honey or maple syrup

Useful hints and tips

1. Don't waste the egg yolks, they can be used to make homemade mayonnaise, or egg custard.
2. Use a completely dry bowl for whisking the eggs, as any moisture of water will spoil the meringue and it won't set properly. I prefer to use a glass bowl as they don't retain any grease when washed.
3. Slowly add the sugar, Only add the sugar to the eggs a spoon at a time, otherwise you risk knocking the air out of the lightly whisked eggs.
4. Shaping the meringue. To help shape the meringue wreath I like to use a small bowl and spoon the meringue mixture around it, removing it before baking the meringue in the oven. If you prefer you can draw a circle onto baking paper and place the meringue around it.
5. Allow the figs and syrup to cool before spooning over the cream. If the figs and syrup are too warm, the cream will melt.
6. Allergy advice: gluten free, soya free and nut free. For comprehensive and detailed allergy advice go to Allergy UK.

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Alternative recipe suggestions

Try some of my favourite festive dessert recipes, perfect for Christmas day lunch, or other meals during the festive holiday.

• Individual Sherry Trifles
• No Bake Chocolate Orange Cheesecake
• No Bake Lime & Ginger Cheesecake
• Baked Vanilla Cheesecake with Mulled Plums
• Profiteroles with Chestnut Cream
• Lemon Panna Cotta with Raspberry Jelly
• Vanilla Panna Cotta with Orange Jelly