“I’m incredibly proud of this, and I’m not ashamed to say so,” Nigella Lawson said of her cappuccino Pavlova creation.
“I’ve long been a pava-holic, but this is my first attempt at the sterile (albeit far from sterile) version,” said Nigella Lawson.
For a different kind of pavlova, he strongly recommends instant espresso powder rather than instant coffee beans, which add “oomph” to the flavor.
Not only does the espresso powder make the pastry “bitter,” he describes his pavlova as a “sweet, marshmallow-like meringue.”
Here’s how to create Nigella Lawson’s delicious coffee-based cappuccino Pavlova with her simple recipe.
Cappuccino Pavlova
Yield: 8-10 slices
Ingredients
- 250 g powdered sugar
- Four teaspoons of instant espresso powder
- Four large egg whites
- A pinch of salt
- Two teaspoons of cornmeal
- One teaspoon of white vinegar
- 300 ml of double cream
- One teaspoon of cocoa powder
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan/gas mark four/350F). Line a flat baking sheet with parchment paper and draw a circle on it with a nine-inch cake pan.
Mix the sugar with the instant espresso powder in a small bowl and set aside.
Whisk the egg whites and salt in a clean, grease-free metal bowl until they hold soft peaks. Continue whisking while adding the sugar-coffee mixture one tablespoon at a time.
When you have a firm, ecru colored meringue, fold in the cornmeal and vinegar with a non-greased metal spoon.
Pour the meringue mixture inside the drawn circle. Flatten and shape it with a spatula so that it looks more like a boatman’s crown: it should be flat on top.
Put it in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 150°C (130°C Fan/gas mark three/300F) and cook for an hour. Turn off the oven and let cool.
When the base has cooled, carefully lift it onto the paper and place it upside down on a flat plate and peel off the paper.
Whip the cream until thick but soft and spread carefully on top of the meringue. Using a teaspoon, push the cocoa through a fine sieve or tea strainer to decorate the top, cappuccino style.
