Pavlova Bombs

Ingredients

• 80 ml / 1/3 cup egg whites, from 3 large eggs (Note 1)
• 2/3 cups caster sugar (superfine sugar), do not cut down, it will affect result!
• 1 1/4 tsp cornflour / cornstarch (Note 2)
• 1/2 tsp white vinegar (Note 2)
• Raspberry Coulis
• Lemon Curd (uses the 3 leftover yolks from the Pav)
• (See in post for other options – passionfruit pulp, pureed mango, chopped up fruit, chocolate sauce!)
• 1 cup heavy/thickened cream (or any other whipping cream), COLD
• 1 1/2 tbsp caster sugar / superfine sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• Option to stabilise so you can whip cream day before – see here for how (Note 3)
• 1 1/2 tbsp unsalted pistachios, finely chopped
• 5 mint sprigs, small
• 20 raspberries
• Icing sugar / powdered sugar, for dusting

Steps

1. Pipe then shape meringues into 5 domes. Bake 1 1/2 hours at 110°C/225°F (100°C fan), cool 3 hours / overnight in oven. Cut small hole in Pav bomb base, squidge around with chopstick to make room for fillings. Fill with coulis then curd, plug hole with cream. Decorate, SMASH!
2. Preheat oven to 150°C / 325°F (all oven types).
3. Egg whites – Separate the egg yolks from egg whites while fridge cold (it's easier). Measure out 1/3 cup (80 ml) egg whites then set aside to come to room temperature for 15 minutes (fluffs better at room temp).
4. Add sugar – In a stand mixer or using an electric beater, beat the egg whites on high for 1 minute. While still beating, slowly pour the sugar in over 1 minute.
5. Beat 5 minutes – Continue to beat for 5 minutes on high until it's fluffy, glossy, and there are no sugar grains remaining when you rub a bit between your fingers. Add vinegar and cornflour then beat for a further 30 seconds.
6. Line tray – Dab a bit on the corner of 2 trays then cover with baking paper (parchment).
7. Pipe mounds Transfer meringue mixture into a large piping bag. Snip the end to make a large 2cm / 0.8" hold. Pipe 5 mounds on the tray, then smooth into domes that are taller than they are wide (they flatten slightly when baked). Mine are about 4 cm / 1.6" wide and 6.5cm /2.6" tall. Use a small offset spatula or butter knife to smooth into a dome shape (no need to be perfect, it gets decorated later).
8. Bake 1 hour 30 minutes – Place both trays in the oven, immediately turn oven DOWN to 110°C/225°F (100°C fan) and bake for 1 hour 30 minutes or until they are dry to touch (check base). Keep baking if still sticky – exact times may vary. (Note 4)
9. Cool in oven – Turn oven OFF and leave to fully cool for 3 hours or overnight around 10 hours (I often do this while I sleep so handy!).
10. Make the Lemon Curd and Raspberry Coulis while the pavlovas are in the oven. Very easy – simmer to thicken, strain, then chill before using.
11. Whipped cream – Beat cream ingredients in a large bowl on high until soft peaks form (45 seconds using a stand mixer, 1 – 1 1/2 minutes with hand held beater). Do this just prior to serving, unless you stabilise the cream (which can be done the day before). Note: if making stabilised whipped cream, follow the steps for your chosen method (there's multiple ways to do it).
12. Piping bags – Transfer the raspberry coulis, lemon curd and cream into separate piping bags. Snip a small 5 mm / 1/5" off the end of the raspberry coulis, and a larger 1cm / 0.4" off the cream piping bag. (No piping bag? See Note 5)
13. Access hole! Place a pavlova bomb upside down in a muffin tin, to hold in place as you work. Carefully cut a 1cm / 0.4" hole in the middle using a small sharp knife. Stick a chopstick into the hole and squidge around GENTLY to move some pavlova marshmallow centre out of the way to make room for the fillings.
14. Pipe some raspberry coulis in (~ 1 1/2 tsp), then lemon curd (~ 2 – 3 tsp). Plug the hole with cream.
15. Plate up – Pipe ~2 tbsp cream on a plate, top with pavlova bomb (stops it from sliding). Pipe then spread more cream on the top of the pavlova bomb. Top with a raspberry, mint sprig, sprinkle of pistachio, dust with icing sugar.
16. Smash! Serve immediately – pavs don't wait around once assembled! Encourage everyone to smash into their Pavlova Bombs so you get a bit of everything in your first bite – delicate crispy meringue, marshmallow centre, tangy lemon curd, bright raspberry coulis. SWOON!