Vegan Pavlova with fall fruits
If I had to pick one dessert as my all-time favorite, it would be pavlova. I remember my first bite of this mouthwatering divine dish like it was yesterday. I was on vacation with my Auntie Sadie and Uncle Bob in St. Helier on the island of Jersey, the largest of the four Channel Islands off the coast of France. I was 13 years old, and it was my first vacation outside of England. My aunt and uncle went there every year, and, at that point, they been for the past 20 years. They had previously taken my brother Michael and my sister Julie. Now it was my turn. This was also my first time staying in a hotel.
As a family, we used to stay in my Auntie Irene’s caravan every year in Walkworth. To this day, every time I visit the Northeast of England I drive to Walkworth and wander around this beautiful, historic village reliving the great memories swinging from rope into the cold waters of the river, swimming, having ice cream at one of the local stores, and visiting Amble, the fishing village just three miles away on the coast. We played in the golden sands but did not dare to venture into the cold North Sea. What a difference the vacation to Helier was, staying in a luxurious hotel with a swimming pool instead of a caravan in a farmers field. In Walkworth, it always seemed to be raining, but I still had a great deal of fun with my siblings. On the Channel Islands, the sun was out all ten days of my visit.
One afternoon while sightseeing around St. Helier, we stopped for afternoon tea at a local tea shop. This this my first cucumber sandwich cut into a triangle without crust. Have to admit at the age of 13, it didn’t appeal to me. What did entice me was the tray of cakes that accompanied the sandwiches and pot of tea. It was on that try that I found a pavlova the size of my hand that was covered with whipped cream and fresh fruit. My mouth was watering.
“Can I have it?” I said to my aunt.
She smiled and said, “Of course you can, but you better get it before your Uncle Bob sees it. Be quick.”
Be quick was not the thing to tell me. I grabbed the plate. It came my way. The pavlova slid the opposite direction straight onto the lap of my uncle. Luckily his napkin was over his lap, and both he and my aunt laughed so much they started to cry. Luckily, they ordered another pavlova for me to try. I still remember that incident every time I make or buy a pavlova and take a bite.
Trying to be a little healthier, I decided to make an eggless pavlova and see how it turned out. To my amazement, it was delicious. Give it a try.
Vegan Pavlova with fall fruits
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients:
Puree
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 tablespoon confectionary sugar
Meringue
1 cup liquid from one can of chickpeas
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
¼ teaspoon xanthan gum (Amazon)
1 cup fine sugar
Garnish
2 cups fresh coconut cream (whipped and chilled)
1 cup blackberries
1 cup raspberries
Fresh mint leaves
How to make:
Pre-heat oven to 200◦F. Line two baking trays with parchment paper. Place the blueberries and the confectionary sugar into a blender and blend until smooth. Place into the fridge.
Whisk the chickpea liquid, vanilla extract, xanthan gum and cream of tartar until fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Whisk in the fine sugar, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time. Fold in half of the blueberry puree.
Spread three quarters of the meringue mixture in a circle on one baking tray. Pop the remaining mixture into a Ziploc bag. Squeeze out the air, snip off one corner and pipe out small balls of mini meringues on the other baking tray.
Bake the large meringue for 3 to 4 hours and the small ones for 1½ to 2 hours. Turn off heat, and leave to cool in the oven completely.
Spread the coconut cream over the meringue base. Top with blackberries, raspberries, mini meringues, a dusting of confectionary icing sugar, the remaining puree, and a scattering of fresh mint leaves. Serve and enjoy.