Brown Sugar Pavlova with Coconut Mascarpone and Roasted Pineapple

Name: Brown Sugar Pavlova with Coconut Mascarpone and Roasted Pineapple
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 100 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 5 egg whites, cold, not warmed; ½ teaspoon kosher salt (optional); 2 vanilla beans, split lengthwise and seeds scraped out; ¾ cups granulated sugar; 1¼ cup dark brown sugar; 2 teaspoons potato starch; 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar; Coconut Mascarpone (recipe follows); Garnish: Roasted Pineapples (recipe follows), chopped macadamias, and toasted coconut; 1 cup heavy whipping cream; 2 tablespoons sugar; ½ cup mascarpone cheese; ½ cup shredded coconut, toasted; ½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped out; 1 ripe pineapple, cored and peeled; ⅓ cup brown sugar; 3 tablespoons butter; 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped out; ¼ cup dark rum or orange juice.

Author:: Chef Laura Frankel
Publish date:: Mar 26, 2018

Brown sugar adds a toffee flavor to pavlova. I love this version with fragrant pineapple and creamy mascarpone. If you can't find mascarpone, use cream cheese.

100minDuration
90minCook Time
10minPrep Time
8Servings

Ingredients

Pavlova

5 egg whites, cold, not warmed
½ teaspoon kosher salt (optional)
2 vanilla beans, split lengthwise and seeds scraped out
¾ cups granulated sugar
1¼ cup dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons potato starch
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
Coconut Mascarpone (recipe follows)
Garnish: Roasted Pineapples (recipe follows), chopped macadamias, and toasted coconut

Coconut Mascarpone

1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons sugar
½ cup mascarpone cheese
½ cup shredded coconut, toasted
½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped out

Roasted Pineapple

1 ripe pineapple, cored and peeled
⅓ cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons butter
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped out
¼ cup dark rum or orange juice.

Preparation

PAVLOVA

1. Preheat oven to 250°F. Draw a 9-inch circle on a piece of parchment paper. Flip the paper so ink does not get on the meringue and set aside.

2. Whip whites, salt, and vanilla seeds on high in a mixer until firm. With the motor running, add sugar, a spoonful at a time, until whites are glossy and very stiff.

3. Gently fold potato starch and vinegar into meringue with a spatula.

4. Transfer meringue to prepared parchment paper. Form meringue into a rustic bowl. It's not necessary to make it perfect. Just be sure to make the center thick enough to support the filling.

5. Bake pavlova at 250°F for 1½ hours. Turn off the oven and do not open the door for at least 6 hours or, better yet, overnight. The residual heat will crisp up the meringue and keep humidity out.

6. Place pavlova on a serving platter and dollop coconut mascarpone on meringue. Arrange pineapple on top and garnish with chopped macadamias and toasted coconut.

COCONUT MASCARPONE

1. With a mixer, or by hand, whip cream and sugar in a chilled bowl with chilled beater until soft folds forms.

2. Fold whipped cream into mascarpone cheese. Fold in coconut and vanilla bean seeds.

3. Keep chilled for up to 1 day before using.

ROASTED PINEAPPLE

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.

2. Place pineapple, sugar, butter, vanilla, and rum or orange juice in a baking dish. Roast pineapple, in a 400°F oven, for 30 minutes until browned and very fragrant. Occasionally spoon pan juices over fruit during cooking.

3. Remove form oven and cool pineapple before cutting into bite-size pieces. Use to top Brown Sugar Pavlova.