Vegan Spiced Pavlova with Persimon®

A showstopper of a vegan dessert, just in time for Christmas! Nobody will believe this crispy, mallowy pavlova with coconut cream, chai spices and fruit is completely egg and dairy free!

You’ll need:

200ml aquafaba, boiled and reduced to 100ml, cold. Note: Aquafaba refers to the water from a tin of unsalted chickpeas.
100g icing sugar
1 tsp white vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp mixed spice or chai masala
125g full-fat coconut cream
1 large P.D.O. Persimon® from Spain, finely sliced
50g redcurrants
1 passion fruit
Extra icing sugar for dusting on top

What to do:

1. Preheat the oven to 150°C (302°F) fan. Place your can of coconut milk in the fridge without shaking it.

2. Pour the reduced and chilled aquafaba into the bowl of a very clean stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until frothy, about 90 seconds.

3. Add the vinegar, vanilla extract and mixed spice/chai masala and continue to beat on high speed, adding 1 tbsp icing sugar every minute until all of the sugar has been incorporated.

4. Continue to beat the mixture on high speed for a further 6-7 minutes until it forms stiff, glossy peaks. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.

5. Using a pencil, draw a 20cm circle on a sheet of baking parchment. Turn it upside down so the pencil outline is on the underside and doesn’t touch the meringue. Place the paper on a large, heavy baking tray.

6. Dollop heaped spoonfuls of the meringue around the inside of the circle to create a ring. Be sure to leave a wide gap in the centre, around 6-7cm diameter as the meringue will spread slightly as it bakes.

7. Use the spoon to make small but deep craters in each mound of meringue. This is where the cream and fruit will sit later.

8. Place the meringue in the oven and immediately turn the temperature down to 100°C (210°F). Bake for 4-5 hours. Turn the oven off and allow the pavlova to cool completely in the oven.

9. Once cool, carefully remove the pavlova from the baking parchment and place it on a large serving platter or cake stand.

10. Just before serving, open the tin of coconut milk without shaking it. The thick coconut cream should have separated from the coconut water in a large mass. Spoon the cream into a bowl and whisk until smooth and creamy.

11. Dollop the coconut cream into the pavlova hollows and top with slices of Persimon®, redcurrants and passion fruit. Dust with icing sugar and decorate with edible snowflakes (optional). Serve immediately.

Credits: Sanjana Modha, Sanjana Feasts
http://spanishpersimon.co.uk/