Lemon pavlova with summer fruits
With the tang of lemon and a topping that makes the most of fresh fruit, this pavlova recipe comes from new book Adelaide Central Market: Stories, people & recipes.
Celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Adelaide Central Market, the cookbook, by Fiona Roberts and Katie Spain, features stories about market traders past and present, as well as seasonal recipes from stallholders, producers and chefs.
In the introduction to this pavlova recipe, Colin Bungay of Springhurst Lemons in the Adelaide Hills writes:
Six generations of my family have had connections with the Adelaide Central Market, be it as a producer, a customer or even visiting on school excursions. Each of my children has returned home following their school visits with a contagious excitement. The sensory overload of unfamiliar produce, unusual smells and vibrant colours combined with the atmosphere and noise of the place certainly creates lasting memories.
The family have been growing Lisbon lemons at our Cherryville property in the Adelaide Hills since the 1950s. Our fruit takes longer to ripen in the Hills than it does in other warmer regions of Australia, which I believe creates a better flavour.
My mother made a mean homemade lemon cordial, which was such a thirst quencher on a hot day. At home, we often add a fresh squeeze of lemon juice to a glass of water, barbecued meats, salad dressings and anything that needs a lift in flavour, as the acid helps season the dish, making everything tastier!
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Lemon pavlova with summer fruits
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 2 hours + drying time
Serves: 8
Ingredients
Pavlova:
Finely grated zest of half a lemon
3 teaspoons gluten-free cornflour
4 free-range egg whites, at room temperature
Pinch of salt
1 cup (220g) raw caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
2 teaspoons lemon juice
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Topping:
300 ml pure cream
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
½ cup (140g) Greek-style yoghurt
200g fresh summer fruit (eg peaches, mango, passionfruit, raspberries, strawberries), sliced
Method
Preheat oven to 120C (100C fan-forced). Draw a 20cm round on baking paper and place face down on a baking tray.
For the pavlova, place lemon zest between two sheets of kitchen paper, pressing together to help remove excess oil. Place zest in small bowl with cornflour, tossing until well coated. Set aside until required.
Using electric beaters whisk egg whites and salt until soft peaks form. Add sugar slowly, 1 tablespoon at a time, until mixture becomes thick, glossy and sugar has dissolved. With the final tablespoon of sugar, add zest mixture and vanilla. Add lemon juice and very gently fold by hand into egg white mixture.
Spoon mixture onto the prepared baking tray in the centre of the circle and, using a spatula, gently spread to the edge of the circle.
Place baking tray in preheated oven and cook for 2 hours. Turn oven off and leave pavlova in oven to cool for at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight.
For the topping, whisk cream and vanilla to soft peaks. Add the yoghurt and beat to medium peaks. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until required.
To serve, carefully place pavlova on a serving plate, top with yoghurt cream and freshly sliced fruit. Serve immediately.
Recipe and image from Adelaide Central Market: Stories, people & recipes, by Fiona Roberts and Katie Spain, $79.95, published by Wakefield Press.
