A pavlova is always a show stopper. This is amped a lot when it’s a toasted almond and hazelnut pavlova. The taste of this pavlova is really impressive, a real flavour bomb. I love the result of this little experiment, I’m sure you’ll love it as well.
The inspiration for this almond and hazelnut pavlova was my lovely friend Rosi. She makes a very thin pavlova with lots of ground nuts mixed into it. It’s always delicious and gorgeous, she’s so talented. The pavlova already has a crispy outside and it’s soft within. The almonds and hazelnuts don’t only add crispiness but they also add a TON of flavour. If you prefer, you can use other types of nuts: pecans, pistachios, cashews, etc. You can use one type or several. Because the nuts have oil in them, the pavlova will tear up a bit, it lets go of a bit of syrup at places, and even with that’s it’s really delicious. If you’ve never made a pavlova before, check out my classic pavlova recipe and check the video on there for reference:
The flavour in this almond and hazelnut is really amazing. It reminds me so much of a banana split! I the mix of the banana, strawberries, chocolate and hazelnuts and how they work together. I think I’m going to have to make an ice cream inspired in these flavours 😉. The strawberries are in season so they’re really sweet and delicious. If you prefer, you can also use raspberries, cherries, blueberries, blackberries, etc.
Ingredients
For the almond and hazelnut pavlova
- 4 egg whites
- Double the weight of egg whites in sugar
- 1 tsp lime juice
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 50 g toasted hazelnuts or other nut, ground
- 50 g toasted almonds or another nut, ground
For the whipped cream
- 200 ml whipping cream cold
- 2 tbsp icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla paste or extract or essence
For the toppings
- 150 g strawberries
- 1 large banana
- 20 g toasted almonds and hazelnuts
- Dark chocolate grated
Instructions
For the almond and hazelnut pavlova
- Place the egg whites and sugar in a bowl where you'll whip them later.
- Place the bowl in a bain-marie over medium temperature, making sure that the base of the bowl doesn't touch the surface of the water.
- Use a whisk to move the egg whites every couple of minutes, trying also to scrape the sides of the bowl.
- Remove it from the heat when you put your finger inside and don't feel any granules of sugar left. Be particularly careful to check the bottom of the bowl.
- Whisk on high speed until the egg whites come to room temperature.
- Dissolve the cornflour in the lime juice and mix it into the egg whites. This will make it marshmallowy at the centre. Add the ground hazelnuts and almonds and fold them in with a spatula.
- Draw a circle at the back of baking paper using a pencil that is a bit smaller to the plate or cake stand you'll be using later to present it in. This will help you to stay within that diameter.
- Stick the tips of the paper to the baking tray using a bit of the meringue.
- Put the meringue at the centre of the circle you drew and spread it around using a spoon, forming a centre at the centre as you go. Check out the video for further reference.
- You can leave it like this for a rustic look or go around with a spatula to flatten it and then use the tip to add some texture.
- Take to a preheated oven at 100°C/210°F for 1 hour (see note for extra egg whites) or until you feel that it's solid on the outside.
- Leave to cool down inside the oven to prevent cracking (some cracking is completely normal). This will take 4-6 hours.
For the whipped cream
- Whip up the cream just with the icing sugar until you have a nice, soft texture. Do this right before serving.
For the toppings
- Put the cream in the Pavlova's cavity and top with the fruits, hazelnuts, almonds and chocolate.
