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Poached Pear and Chocolate Pavlova
Introduction from Manon Lagrève
You might know that pear and chocolate is my favourite flavour combination (my book Chez Manon includes the most incredible pear and chocolate cake recipe), and I am continuing my obsession with this pavlova. Poached pears are simply divine and the hot chocolate poured over the pavlova is an end-of-the-meal show that everyone will adore.
Ingredients
Method
Preheat the oven to 120°C fan (275°F).
Draw a 22–23cm (8½–9 inch) circle on a sheet of baking parchment and place it on a baking sheet.
First, make the meringue. Combine the egg whites and salt in the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat for a few minutes until it foams. Increase the speed and whisk for 3 minutes until soft peaks form, then gradually add the sugar, whisking constantly, until it forms a thick, glossy meringue consistency. Take your time – this can take up to 10 minutes.
Use a little of the meringue mixture to stick the baking parchment to the baking sheet, then pour the meringue onto the paper and use a spatula to smooth it out into a circle.
Bake in the oven for 1½ hours until a hard shell forms. Don’t open the oven door while the meringue is baking, and when the time is up, turn off the oven and leave the meringue inside until it is completely cool.
Meanwhile, make the pears. Fill a saucepan with enough water to cover the pears, then add the sugar and bring it to a gentle simmer to dissolve the sugar. Peel and halve the pears (or leave whole, if preferred), then place them in the syrup and cook for 20–30 minutes until tender. Remove the pan from the heat and leave the pears to cool in the syrup until you are ready to serve.
To make the Chantilly cream, whisk the cold cream in a bowl with a hand mixer for 3–4 minutes and then fold in the vanilla paste and sugar.
Assemble the pavlova with the Chantilly cream and pears on top. Just before serving, melt the chocolate in the microwave or in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Bring the pavlova to the table and pour the warm chocolate over the top.
Reviews
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