Egg-Free Pavlova

A twist on the classic pavlova, this egg-free version offers a delicious and inclusive treat for all dessert lovers. Crafted with a unique blend of plant-based ingredients, the meringue base achieves the perfect balance of crispiness on the outside and a marshmallow-like interior. The pavlova is generously topped with a medley of fresh, seasonal fruits, adding a burst of vibrant flavors and natural sweetness. Whipped coconut cream crowns this masterpiece, providing a luscious and dairy-free finishing touch.

• 80 g reduced aqua faba. This equates to approx 2 400g cans of chickpeas.
• ¼ Teaspoon Cream of tartar
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla essence
• 150 g Caster (¾ cup)
• 1 can of ceres coconut cream, chilled in the fridge overnight (must have no emulsifiers, so ceres is the perfect option)
• Berries/fruit of choice
• Optional but encouraged, 1/4 cup of icing sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Method:

 1. To reduce the aqua faba, drain 2 cans of chickpeas and simmer the liquid on a low heat on the stovetop. Gently simmer it on the stove until it has reduced by around half (volume). This removes the excess water and leaves a more concentrated protein. Reducing aqua faba will help your pav hold its shape, and prevent it from deflating or seeping water out of the bottom. Cool your aquafaba in the fridge.

2. Preheat oven to 130 degrees. (or 110 fan forced).

3. Take your reduced & cooled aqua faba, add your cream of tartar and vanilla essence and beat on high with an an electric whisk or stand mixer, until it forms soft peaks (like meringue). This should take 5-6 minutes.

4.Continue to beat, while adding 2 tablespoons of caster sugar at a time. Ensure the sugar is entirely dissolved before adding the next 2 tablespoons. This should take around 10-15 mins, and your mixture should form very stiff peaks.

5. Dollop your mixture onto a silicone baking mat, either as one large pav, or you can do a few mini pavs if you'd prefer.

6. Bake for 2 hours, then turn oven off but do not remove your pavlova from the oven. Keep the oven door closed, for at least 4 hours before removing it.

7. To make the whipped cream, take your chilled can of coconut cream and scoop the thick creamy product off the top. This is the only part of the cream you will need to use, pop the thinner, milky product aside and use it for soups or curries.

8. Beat the thick part of the cream on high until soft peaks have formed.

9. Add the icing sugar and vanilla and beat on high until all ingredients have combined. 

10. Dollop your whipped cream on top of your pavlova and top with your fave season fruits. You can't go past a classic combo of passionfuit, blueberries and strawberries, but some shaved chocolate and fresh cherries is also a popular choice!

11. Serve to your impressed family and friend and bask in their surprise when they find out this pav is egg-free!!

*note; if your coconut whipped cream doesn't form peaks, it's possible your can of coconut cream didn't contain the correct amount of fat content. This is possible, as all cans are slightly different. Never fear! Your cream can be salvaged by using a couple of tablespoons of tapioca flour.