Persimmon and Raspberry Pavlova makes a refreshing winter dessert. Persimmons have hit the shelves in Canada now, and I will confess... I am on a persimmon kick!
Persimmons make this a refreshing dessert that is a bit unusual in North America. Raspberries and mandarins add interest and another fresh note.
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What Makes This Recipe Special?
- The recipe provides instructions to make the meringue and the lemon curd, but if you really want to streamline it, you could buy these components and assemble them with the additional ingredients.
- The recipe, as written, uses 4 egg whites in the meringue and 4 yolks in the curd, so there is no waste!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Persimmons- I was always a little wary of persimmons, having heard tales of astringency and bitterness. The trick is to know which variety to buy. Fuyu persimmons can be eaten without fear of bitterness, with a consistency much like a ripe pear or plum. Eureka, Vanilla, or Triumph also work well when eaten fresh. Hachiya can be bitter and astringent unless it is so ripe that it is almost soft and mushy.
- You could substitute peaches for the persimmons here.
- Raspberries and mandarins add freshness, but you could substitute any combination of fresh fruit in season, such as strawberries, kiwis, or blueberries.
- Grand Marnier liqueur- This is an optional component that adds a touch of elegance to the dish. You can omit it or substitute another fruit liqueur such as Cointreau, Triple Sec, or Cassis. Choose any liqueur that will complement your fruits.
How To Make It
- You can make the meringues a day or two ahead. The storage is crucial. Refrigeration makes the meringue sweat out those gold, gooey droplets. If it is not airtight, they will go soggy. So, store at room temperature in an airtight container.
- You can also make the lemon curd ahead of time. Be sure to refrigerate it with a layer of plastic wrap spread on the surface area so it doesn't develop a skin.
- Assemble them just before serving so they don't get soggy.
Wine Pairing
If you are serving these for a special occasion, serve them with Grand Marnier (or whatever liqueur you chose to pour over them.) A Framboise (raspberry sweet wine) would also be delightful.
Related Recipes
Got some persimmons left over? I am not sure why, but I usually see persimmons by the case or a generous bag. So if you have more persimmons to use up check out:
Persimmon and Raspberry Pavlovas
A refreshing winter dessert. Persimmon, mandarin and raspberries add fresh notes, but you can use any combination of fruit in season. A drizzle of liqueur is optional but adds elegance.
If you tried this, or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know it went in the 📝 comments below!
Save Print Pin FacebookServings: 6 servings
Ingredients
Meringue
- 4 egg whites at room temperature
- ¾ cup white sugar
- ¼ cup superfine sugar you can pulse regular granulated sugar in your food processor until it is fine like icing sugar.
- 1 ½ teaspoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon Grand Marnier optional
Lemon Curd
- 3 lemons zest and juice
- ⅓ cup white sugar
- 4 egg yolks
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 3 Tbsps unsalted butter at room temperature
Fruit
- 2 12 segments of mandarin oranges fresh or canned, roughly chopped
- 3 persimmons peeled, cored and sliced
- 12 oz fresh raspberries
Whipped Cream
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 2 Tbsps sugar
- ½ teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Grand Marnier optional
Instructions
Meringue
- Position oven racks in top and bottom third of the oven. Preheat oven to 275°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Trace out 6 circles using an inverted bowl approximately 4-6 in diameter. Turn parchment paper over.
- Separate eggs and reserve the yolks for making the lemon curd.
- Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add white sugar with mixer running. Mix superfine sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Gradually beat that mix into the meringue. Continue beating until meringue is stiff and glossy. Beat in vinegar and Grand Marnier if using.
- Spoon meringue mixture onto the drawn circles. Spread with the back of a spoon and swirl so the edges are higher than the center.
- Bake for 1 hour, switching the sheets half way through. After 1 hour turn off the oven and leave meringues in the closed oven for another hour or so. Meringue can be made 1-3 days ahead and stored at room temperature in an airtight container.
Lemon Curd
- Fill a pot or bottom or a double boiler partially with water. Bring to a boil. Set a heatproof bowl over the pot and check to ensure the bowl does NOT touch the water. Reduce heat so water simmers instead of boils.
- Take bowl away from the heat and whisk in the lemon juice and zest, the sugar, egg yolks and salt. Whisk vigorously or beat for a few minutes to ensure mixture is well blended. Set bowl over the simmering water and whisk constantly until curd thickens. This can take about 20 minutes. Remove bowl from heat and whisk in butter until it is melted and mixed well. Press plastic wrap directly on the surface to avoid it developing a 'skin'. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Topping
- Mix the fruit together. Combine cream, sugar and Grand Marnier, if using. Beat until soft peaks form.
- To assemble, spoon about ¼ cup lemon curd into the well of the meringue shells. Spoon fruit over the curd and some on the side of the plate. Top with whipped cream. You can assemble Pavlovas a couple of hours ahead of time and refrigerate until serving time. Don't go more than a couple of hours or the meringue might start to 'weep'.
Notes
Variation:
To make this super easy you can buy the meringue shells and lemon curd and assemble according to instructions.
Wine Pairing:
Serve it with Grand Marnier or whatever liqueur you chose to use in the recipe. A Framboise sweet wine would also work well here.
Nutrition
Calories: 560kcal | Carbohydrates: 94g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 77mg | Sodium: 102mg | Potassium: 532mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 56g | Vitamin A: 998IU | Vitamin C: 107mg | Calcium: 89mg | Iron: 3mg
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