Name: Rockpool Bar & Grill’s passionfruit pavlova
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 315 gm eggwhites (about 10); 525 gm caster sugar; 3 tsp cornflour; 3 tsp white vinegar; 2 tsp vanilla extract; Passionfruit curd; 4 egg yolks; 100 gm caster sugar; 80 ml passionfruit pulp (from about 4 passionfruit), plus 80ml extra, to serve; 50 gm unsalted butter, coarsely chopped; 1½ tsp lime juice; Vanilla cream; 1 litre pouring cream (4 cups); 2 tbsp caster sugar; ½ tsp vanilla extract

“Passionfruit pavlova is one of the best-selling desserts at Rockpool Bar & Grill in both Melbourne and Sydney. We made it for the first staff Christmas lunch in Melbourne back in 2006, and Neil then wanted to know when it was going on the menu. Shortly afterwards it did. When Sydney opened I initially opted not to put it on the menu, but that didn’t last very long because the requests for it were overwhelming. Sometimes the simple things are the most enjoyable. We preheat the oven to 200C so that the initial heat inflates the air bubbles created by whisking and sets the proteins around the bubbles, creating a stable pavlova that is light and fluffy on the inside with a crisp exterior.”

Ingredients

315 gm eggwhites (about 10)

525 gm caster sugar

3 tsp cornflour

3 tsp white vinegar

2 tsp vanilla extract

Passionfruit curd

4 egg yolks

100 gm caster sugar

80 ml passionfruit pulp (from about 4 passionfruit), plus 80ml extra, to serve

50 gm unsalted butter, coarsely chopped

1½ tsp lime juice

Vanilla cream

1 litre pouring cream (4 cups)

2 tbsp caster sugar

½ tsp vanilla extract

Method

Main

1.Preheat oven to 200C. Whisk eggwhites and a pinch salt in an electric mixer on low speed until they start to break up, then increase speed to medium and beat until soft peaks form (2 minutes). Add one-third of sugar and whisk to combine, then gradually add remaining sugar and whisk on high> speed until stiff peaks form (2-3 minutes). Fold through cornflour, vinegar and vanilla, then form into a 24cm-diameter round with edges slightly higher than centre on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Reduce oven to 160C and bake pavlova until lightly browned on the outside and cooked on the inside (25-35 minutes), turn oven off and stand in oven for 10 minutes, then remove and cool to room temperature (1 hour).

2.Meanwhile, for passionfruit curd, place yolks in a heatproof bowl, whisk to combine. Combine sugar, passionfruit pulp and butter in a saucepan over low heat, stir occasionally until butter melts and sugar dissolves (5 minutes). Add one-third of passionfruit mixture to yolks, whisking continuously, then return to pan and stir continuously until thickened (3 minutes). Do not boil. Add lime juice, remove from heat, pass through a coarse sieve into a container. Cover closely with plastic wrap, cool (10 minutes), then refrigerate until chilled (1 hour).

3.For vanilla cream, whisk cream, sugar and vanilla to stiff peaks in a bowl.

4.Fold passionfruit curd through vanilla cream, then form quenelles of mixture and spoon over pavlova. Top with extra passionfruit pulp and serve.