Mango Passion Fruit Pavlova

Kicking off an all-new month-long May Mango Mania series with this irresistible Mango Passion Fruit Pavlova!

Here in Muscat, Oman, summer truly has set in. Just to clarify, in this part of the world, summer isn’t the most beautiful time of the year where the sun comes out and exudes this fab outdoorsy vibe. Sure, the sun does come out; only to scorch everything and everyone exposed to it, with 40 °C plus temperatures. Around here, summer isn’t glorious, and the only good thing about it is the sunny, golden mango!

If you’ve read this post which has been on the blog for a couple of years, you know about my love affair with mangoes. And if you’ve been following closely, you also know that I haven’t done a whole lot with my favourite fruit (apart from this tart, which is the bomb!); one that I love so much, my parents nicknamed me after my obsession with it! 😛

Thus, I welcome you to May Mango Mania – a month-long series of Mango recipes! Throughout this month, you will learn how to cook and use this glorious fruit in different courses, different kinds of food, inspired by different cuisines. The recipes will be simple, exciting and bang-on delicious! And I hope you enjoy this blog series as much I did, putting it together!

Also, from now on, I’ll be posting something new every Tuesdays and Thursdays, so mark your calendars and make sure to come join the fun!

To kick off this series, let’s jump right in with this marvelous Mango Passion Fruit Pavlova!

I had been meaning to whip a pavlova up for a few years now. But the fear of browning meringues too much has kept me from this awe-inspiring dessert. I was first introduced to the pavlova during Donna Hay’s initial appearance on Masterchef Australia. Since, pavlova and Donna Hay have, to me, been synonymous. And so when I decided that my May Mango Mania series needed a summer-time-perfect Pavlova, it was Donna Hay’s amazing recipe that I turned to. Here’s my slightly altered, adapted version! 🙂

This recipe serves 8. Here’s what you need:

• Egg Whites – 150 ml (I used the egg whites of 3 jumbo eggs)
• Caster Sugar – 3/4 cup + 3 tbsp (divided)
• Corn Flour – 3 tsp
• White Distilled Vinegar – 1 tsp
• Vanilla Extract – 1 tsp
• Whipping Cream – 200 ml
• Mango – 1, large, thinly sliced
• Pulp of 3-4 Passion Fruits

Here’s how you make this fresh, summery Mango Passion Fruit Pavlova:

• Preheat oven to 150 °C/ 300 °F. Line a large baking/cookie sheet with parchment paper. Draw the outline of an 8-inch round cake tin onto the parchment paper and flip it over.
• Place the egg whites in a large clean bowl and using a hand mixer/stand mixer, beat them until foamy and soft peaks form. With the mixer on, gradually add 3/4 cup of caster sugar, one tablespoon at a time, and beat until the mixture is glossy and smooth, about 5 minutes.
• When the mixture seems glossy and stiff peaks form, check to see if the meringue is ready (see tips below).
• Sift corn flour over the meringue; add in the vinegar and vanilla, and using a spatula, gently fold it through.
• Pile the meringue onto the prepared baking sheet, gently shaping it within the outlined 8-inch circle.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 120 °C/ 250 °F and place the pavlova in. Bake for 1 hour. Then turn the oven off and let the pavlova cool completely in the oven with the door closed.
• Beat the cold whipping cream with 1 tablespoon of caster sugar until it is of frosting consistency. Also sweeten the passion fruit pulp with 2 tablespoons of sugar, if the pulp is sour.
• When ready to serve, carefully transfer the cooled pavlova on to a serving platter and top with whipped cream. Drizzle the passion fruit pulp over the whipped cream, top with sliced mangoes and serve immediately.

A crackling, crispy shell, with a cloud-like marshmallow centre. Airy, light whipped cream. Zingy passion fruit pulp splayed, with crunchy seeds to boot. And fleshy, sweet mangoes, sliced and swirled. This Pavlova really is a showstopper!

The medley of flavours – sweet and sour and punchy; paired with thrilling textures – crisp and crackle and pillowy fluffiness, make for a dessert that is sure to take one’s breath away!

Words fail to describe how truly incredible the humble pavlova is. Whipped into shape with such few ingredients, it blooms into this spectacle, a spellbinding extravaganza. It’s almost like the few ingredients going into the mix are screaming, “Look what we can do; just you watch!” Such show-offs! Pfft!

But mighty are their talents, because they didn’t fail to amaze the entire family. After serving as guinea pigs to all my dessert experiments, they’ve evolved into the toughest critics. Yet this Mango Passion Fruit Pavlova opened to rave reviews and even soldered on despite being refrigerated overnight which rendered the crust soggy the next day. That’s how much they LOVED this Pavlova!

As for me, I’m smitten. I wasn’t sure I’d nailed it, but one bite and I knew you, Dear Reader, would LOVE it! It’s so easy to make, absolutely lip-smacking and just the kind of dessert you want to serve at your summer soiree! 🙂

Before you go, here are a few tips to make the perfect Pavlova:

• It is important to beat the egg whites to soft peaks before adding in the sugar. Soft peaks is when the egg whites are foamy and lifting your hand mixer out will leave soft, flopping-over bubble-y peaks. At this point the beaten egg whites are not yet opaque.
• You’ll know when your meringue is ready when it is still lush and glossy, and when the meringue is rubbed between your fingertips, it is smooth and no sugar granules remain. If you still find the meringue grainy, continue beating it till the sugar is completely dissolved. Do not over beat.
• A sure way of knowing if your meringue has been over beaten is when the mixture goes dry and loses its gloss. If this happens, you will need to start over.
• Suppress the urge to open the oven while the pavlova bakes. Watching the pavlova rise is exciting, but opening the oven at any time will cause it to deflate.
• Allow the pavlova ample time to cool in the closed oven.
• The pavlova can be made even the night before serving it. Just bake it and leave it to cool overnight with the oven door closed.
• When cooling, the pavlova cracks in places and may even break when you move it to a serving platter. Don’t stress, these cracks and breaks all contribute to its rustic charm! 😉
• Make sure you do not top the pavlova with whipped cream and fruits in advance. Do this at the last minute, just before you serve dessert. Piling on the cream and fruits earlier will make the pavlova crust soggy.
• Pavlova does not refrigerate well, in that it retains its amazing flavours, but the crispness of the crust will be lost. The marshmallow-y centre, however, will retain all its glory, and so will the fruits.
• Apart from mango and passion fruit, you can top the pavlova with any fruits you love. Berries are especially wonderful!

There, I now pronounce you ready to bake this fabulous Mango Passion Fruit Pavlova! Go forth and be amazed! 😀

Want to Pin This recipe for later? Here you go!

Psst… If you’d like to, you could come check me out on Pinterest! I pin a tonne of fun stuff – chocolate, lots of dessert, easy weeknight recipes; home decor and (look away now, boyfriend!) some pretty unusual wedding stuff 😛

Also, for regular updates on what’s happening in The Foodscape kitchen, follow me on Instagram at @thefoodscape! You’ll love all the deliciousness there, I promise! ❤