Porteno Pavlova
Ingredients
Meringues
105 g (3½ oz) egg whites
120 g (4¼ oz) caster (superfine) sugar
2 teaspoons potato starch
½ teaspoon white vinegar
Sponge
4 eggs
120 g (4¼ oz) caster (superfine) sugar
100 g (3½ oz) plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted
20 g (¾ oz) almond meal
Mangoes
4 mangoes
200 g (7 oz) caster (superfine) sugar
200 ml (7 fl oz) water
Juice of 1 lime
45 ml (1½ fl oz) dark rum
Diplomat
125 g (4½ oz) chilled crème pâtissière
400 g (14 oz) cream (45% fat)
To serve
250 g (9 oz) dulce de leche
8 passionfruit, halved and pulp scooped out
150 g (5½ oz) salted peanuts
Method
Meringues
Preheat the oven to 110°C (225°F/Gas ½). Whisk your egg whites using an electric mixer (we use old egg whites at room temperature for the best result).
Once they start to peak, add half your sugar and keep whisking for a few minutes. Add the remaining sugar and whisk for a further 5 minutes, or until stiff peaks form.
Add the potato starch and vinegar, and whisk for a further 5 minutes until smooth and glossy. Line a baking tray with baking paper then scoop four big kitchen spoonfuls of the mixture onto the tray, leaving a minimum of 2.5 cm (1 inch) between them.
Bake for 45-60 minutes until still very slightly soft to the touch and starting to colour. Turn off the oven and leave the tray in there with the door ajar until the meringues have completely cooled. Once cool, they can be stored in an airtight container for
up to 4 days.
Sponge
Whisk the eggs and sugar using an electric mixer for about 5 minutes, or until very fluffy. Transfer the mix into a large bowl and carefully fold in the sifted
flour then the almond meal using a rubber spatula.
Line a 15 x 20 cm (6 x 8 inch) baking tray that’s about 6 cm (2½ inches) deep with baking paper.
Pour the sponge mixture into the tray, smooth out the top then tightly wrap the entire tray with plastic wrap so it’s airtight.
Preheat a combination oven with a steam function to 100°C (200°F/Gas ½) and steam at full steam for 17-20 minutes. Once out, quickly remove the wrap, being careful not to burn yourself, and leave to cool.
Alternatively, you could bake the sponge in a buttered, floured and lined baking tray at 170°C (325°F/Gas 3) for 30 minutes.
Mangoes
Peel the mangoes with a sharp knife, removing the two cheeks from either side of the stone and carving off any other flesh. Slice each cheek lengthways into
four segments and put in a container.
Place the mango stones in a large saucepan with the sugar and water and bring to the boil over a medium heat. Once boiling, turn down and simmer for about 1 minute then remove from the heat and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Strain the mango syrup
through a fine sieve into a jug.
Add the lime juice and rum to the warm syrup, stir, then immediately pour all over the mangoes. Allow to cool down in the refrigerator.
Diplomat
Whisk the crème pâtissière in a large bowl until smooth.
Slowly fold the cream into the crème pâtissière. Add a little at a time so you use it up in around four to six goes. This will give you a nice velvety cream finish that will really hold up in the dessert.
To serve
Drain the mango from its syrup. Break the sponge into chunks and drizzle a generous amount of the mango syrup all over so it is really moist. Gently smash the meringues into rough chunks.
Divide these elements evenly between your serving plates then add spoonfuls of diplomat, dulce de leche and passionfruit pulp around the plates.
Top with a scattering of peanuts and serve.
Photo Credits: 'Recipes for a Good Time' by Ben Milgate and Elvis Abrahanowicz, Published by Murdoch Books, RRP $59.99
