Pavlova with vanilla yoghurt, watermelon and strawberries

The classic pav is been spruced up with watermelon and strawberries coated in moscato syrup and zesty lime juice.

Credit: Feast magazine

• serves

  8

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  1:20 hour

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 300 g Greek-style yoghurt
• 6 egg whites
• 440 g (2 cups) caster sugar
• 2 tsp cornflour
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 250 ml (1 cup) pink moscato
• 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped
• 300 g seedless watermelon, thinly sliced
• 250 g strawberries, hulled, halved
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 200 ml thickened cream
• 2 tbsp pure icing sugar, plus extra, to dust

Resting time overnight

Instructions

Line a sieve with muslin or a clean tea towel and place over a bowl. Pour in yoghurt, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight until yoghurt is thick and liquid has drained.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 150°C. Using an electric mixer, whisk egg whites and 330g (1½ cups) caster sugar on high speed for 15 minutes or until thick and glossy, making sure sugar has dissolved. Whisk in the cornflour and vinegar to combine. Using a plate, trace a 20 cm circle on a piece of baking paper, then place on an oven tray, circle-side down. Spoon mixture onto baking paper, using the circle as a guide. Using a palette knife or the back of a spoon and starting at the base, draw knife up the sides of the mixture to make small ridges around the outside. Smooth top and make an indentation in the centre. Place in oven, immediately reduce temperature to 100°C and cook for 1 hour 20 minutes or until pavlova is crisp and set, but not coloured. Turn off oven and leave pavlova in oven, with the door slightly ajar, to cool completely.

Combine moscato, remaining 110 g (½ cup) caster sugar, 2 tbsp water and vanilla bean (reserving seeds) in a saucepan placed over medium heat. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes or until mixture reaches a syrup consistency. Discard vanilla bean, then set aside to cool.

The next day, combine watermelon, strawberries, moscato syrup and lime juice in a bowl. Refrigerate for 30 minutes for flavours to develop. Meanwhile, combine cream, icing sugar and reserved vanilla seeds in a bowl and whisk to soft peaks; do not over whip. Place yoghurt in a large bowl, gently fold through one-third of the whipped cream, then fold through remaining cream. Top pavlova with yoghurt mixture and fruit, then drizzle with syrup and dust with icing sugar.

Photography by Ben Dearnley & Brett Stevens

As seen in Feast magazine, December/January 2014, Issue 38.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.