A Holiday Recipe: Pavlova with Ginger White Chocolate Mascarpone Cheese and Rosemary-Infused Whipped Cream

Recipe by Chelsea Gough

Photos by Scott Yavis

This pavlova will steal the show. With its crunchy outer layer and pillowy centre, pavlova is a beautiful addition to any brunch menu. This version leans into the flavours of winter, with gentle hints of ginger and rosemary, and a fluffy cloud of whipped cream on top. Feel free to play around with your favourite fruits, and if it doesn’t turn out flawless the first time, you can relax—when it comes to pavlova, practice makes perfect.

Ingredients

Serves 8 to 12

Pavlova

• 4 extra-large organic egg whites
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• ½ tbsp cornstarch
• 1 cup granulated sugar

Whipped cream

• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 4-inch sprig fresh rosemary

Mascarpone topping

• 8 oz mascarpone cheese
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• ½ cup white chocolate chips

Garnish

• 3 to 4 mandarin oranges, peeled and segmented
• ½ cup pomegranate seeds
• Rosemary (optional)

Method

Preheat oven to 250°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whisk egg whites until frothy. Add lemon juice and cornstarch, whisking for another 30 to 60 seconds to incorporate. Over next 2 minutes, slowly add sugar, 1 tsp at a time. Once all sugar is added, beat until grains are fully dissolved and mixture forms stiff, shiny peaks (about 6 minutes). To test, rub some meringue between your finger and thumb to feel for grains. You should be able to safely hold the bowl upside down.

Spoon meringue onto prepared baking sheet and form into your desired shape. Once ready for oven, turn heat down to 225°F and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Turn off oven and let pavlova rest without opening oven door, allowing it to cool completely overnight or for at least 4 hours.

The night before serving, place whipping cream and vanilla in a glass container. Remove rosemary leaves from stem and roughly chop, bruising leaves to ensure flavour release, then add to whipping cream. Let rest in fridge overnight and whisk into soft peaks before serving.

For mascarpone topping, add cheese and ginger into a stand mixer and beat until combined and smooth. Over double boiler, melt white chocolate; remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes. Drizzle into cheese mixture and whisk until combined. If your topping has been prepared in advance and refrigerated, soften mixture by resting it on the counter for 20 minutes.

Once ready to serve, place pavlova on serving dish and carefully spread softened cheese mixture on delicate pavlova top. Add whipped cream and decorate with mandarin orange segments, pomegranate seeds and rosemary. Slice and serve. 

Shape Shift

Your pavlova’s shape is up to you—you can either outline or freestyle, and traditional shapes include circular, log or wreath. You can also keep it rustic with  lots of peaks or smooth it out—I recommend a smooth top to create a shelf for toppings.

This recipe appears in Nourish: Adventuring with Whole Foods, a new cookbook from Alive showcasing recipes from a range of talented chefs, including our CEO and publisher, Ryan Benn.