This Pavlova Roll, Lemon Curd and Poached Cherries, makes a great dessert
In Australia, we have all grown up with Pavlova. At some point in our lives, everyone’s Aunt, Mother or Grandmother have made it for some occasion or other. It is a delicious way to transport fruit and cream to your mouth. I don’t feel the need to find ownership of the Pavlova or who invented it, because meringue and fruit and cream can be found all over the world.
At this time of year we all get excited about seeing cherries arrive heralding the summer in the Southern Hemisphere. My effort has combined a soft creamy form of Pavlova with lots of crunchy nutty praline to balance it out. Start by making the curd, cherries and praline because this version of Pavlova is very quick! 
Why not try these recipes too!
Winter pavlova with caramel and passionfruit
Panacotta with raspberry jelly
Pavlova Roll, Lemon Curd Cream and Cherries
This is a soft fluffy version of a Pavlova that still has the lovely combination of meringue fruit and cream. It's quick and makes a great dessert for dinner. All cups mentioned are Australian standard
Ingredients
Pavlova
- 4 egg whites approximately 30 gm each
- 165 gm caster sugar 3/4 cup
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 10 gm cornflour 1 tablespoon
Poached Cherries
- 250 gm cherries
- 400 gm caster sugar 2 cups
- 250 ml Apple and Blackcurrant juice or cherry juice | 1 cup
- 40 ml Ximenez sherry sweet Sherry vinegar or sweet balsamic| 2 teaspoons
- 1 vanilla bean (and optional Christmas spices:-1 star anise 1 cinnamon quill and 4 Black peppercorns)
Lemon Curd
- 100 ml lemon Juice Zest and juice
- 165 gm caster sugar 3/4 cup
- 80 gm butter chopped cubed
- 2 egg yolks beaten about 40 gm
- 2 whole eggs 50 gm each
- 300 ml cream for whipping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160 C. Prepare a lined baking tray. A brownie or swiss roll tin would be ideal. Make the lemon curd and cherries before starting the pavlova
- Beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar in the clean bowl of a mixer until light and frothy. Gradually add the sugar until it is all incorporated. Beat until the mixture is thick and glossy and all of the sugar is dissolved. Rub some of the meringue between your fingertips to make sure the mixture is smooth and not gritty.
- Add the cornflour and beat well to combine.
- Spread the mixture onto a standard brownie ( Swiss roll tin) lined with baking paper and sprayed well around the edges. The mixture should be spread to 2 – 3 cm thick (1 inch), nice and flat with a palette knife.
- Bake for approximately 15 minutes, or till set and lightly browned on top. Set asde
To make Lemon Curd
- Prepare a bowl over a double boiler on simmer.
- Put the caster sugar, lemon juice and zest in to bowl and give it a quick whisk. Add the eggs and cubed butter and continuously whisk over the double boiler.
- When ready, the curd will be quite hot without boiling and will become quite viscous. Stain into a clean cool bowl and refrigerate. The curd will thicken up.
To make the Poached Cherries
- De- seed the cherries using an olive pitter. Leave the stalks in tact if you like.
- Put the sugar, juice, vinegar and spices ( if using ) into a pot ( big enough to hold the syrup and all of the cherries but don’t add them yet), and bring up to the boil. Simmer for 2 minutes until all the sugar is dissolved and the spices have infused.
- Turn off the heat and add the cherries. There will be enough residual heat to poach them lightly.
- ** For Cherry plate caramel – Once cooled pour off 1 cup of poaching liquor, into a small pot, add another 1/2 cup of sugar and and reduce until a thick caramel liquid is left ( set aside).
To Assemble the Pavlova
- Make 1 large roll to cut at the table or 6 individual portions.
- Whip the the extra cream ( 300ml- 1/2 pint) until thick and firm. Fold through 1 cup of the lemon curd.
- Spread this sparingly onto the pavlova, don’t over fill as it will ooze out of the ends!.
- Drain 6 or so cherries of any liquid and roughly chop, sprinkling them over the lemon curd cream.
- Hold the paper at the ( longest) side of the pavlova and roll up , just like making a Swiss roll. Using the paper shape and squeeze it lightly into shape ( you can do this and refrigerate overnight if you like. )
- Cut into slices.
- Paint each plate with Cherry Caramel. Put a smear of plain lemon curd onto each plate and place a roll on each one. Finely chop up some praline sprinkling each serve with this . Decorate with Cherries and syrup and small mounds of lemon curd and praline
Notes
Cream of tartar helps the eggs to whip up nice and strong. It binds the water in the eggs to the solids ensuring they whip up nicely.
Ensure the lemon curd and fruit is made before you complete the pavlova.
Hazelnut Praline see recipe here
Can I make and fill lemon curd roulade the day before serving
Hi Wendy
You can make the roulade ahead of time. There will be a small amount of sugar seepage as when the meringue is in the frige this happens. Other than this if you store it in an airtight container in the fridge overnight and garnish and finish the next day it should be fine
Hi Wendy
You can make the roulade ahead of time.
There will be a small amount of sugar seepage as when the meringue is in the fridge this happens.
Other than this if you store in an airtight container overnight and garnish and finish the next day it should be fine
All the best
Tania
Oh boy, just when I was wiping the drool off my face after reading your pizza dip, I spotted this. YUM WOW, she shoots, she scores! This looks amazing! At first I thought it was a post for a restaurant review because it looks so posh! And I am with you on cherry excitement! We always get over excited and buy an enormous box, then we have this big argument about who gets to take how much home, and how I can’t take 2 paper bags full because I ate SO MANY straight out of the box. I have a classy family 🙂 This is truly gorgeous. I am scared to attempt it, I am not very good with desserts but I think I can’t resist!
Stunning! Truly gorgeous looking dish.
Anything with cherries is always a big yes from me.
Thanks, I like cherries too.
Great images, you’ve managed to capture just how good this would taste.
Thank you. As you have an eye for photography I appreciate your comment