Tropical Pavlova Roll

Tropical Pavlova Roll 

Ingredients:

Passionfruit curd:
125g unsalted butter, cubed
110g caster sugar
180ml fresh passionfruit pulp
Juice of 1 lime
4 egg yolks

Meringue:
250g egg whites (from 6-7 eggs), room temperature
375g caster sugar
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar

Filling:
400g mango flesh, cut into small cubes
500ml whipping cream
2 tablespoons caster sugar
Zest of 1 lime

Preheat the oven to 180C fan/200C. Line a shallow baking tray with baking paper, making sure to get it into the corners.

First, make the meringue. Beat the egg whites in an electric mixer until frothy and light. Add the sugar tablespoon by tablespoon and keep beating until glossy and stiff. Finally, beat in the white wine vinegar. The meringue should be very stiff and hold its shape well. This process can take around 10 minutes.

Scoop the meringue onto the lined baking tray and smooth it out. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until crisp. When it’s done, turn it out onto a clean tea towel and roll it up lengthwise. Let it cool completely. This ‘trains’ the pavlova roll to retain its shape. The meringue can sit like this for at least a few hours, and up to overnight (though you want to keep it dry, so if it’s raining and humid, don’t leave it too long).

While the meringue is baking, get to work on the passionfruit curd. Place all the ingredients in a heavy-bottomed pot, and get it onto a low heat. Stir and stir until the curd is thickened – this can take a loooong time, so prepare yourself to stir away for at least 15-20 minutes. 

To test the curd, run your finger through the curd on the spatula. If the groove remains, it’s good to go. Transfer the curd to a bowl and cover with cling film. You want the cling film touching the top of the curd to prevent a skin forming. Chill in the fridge for a few hours, until thick and cold. 

This amount makes double or even more passionfruit curd than what you need, so save the rest it for another recipe, or just for spreading on bread, or stirring into yogurt.

To assemble the pavlova roll, whip the cream up with the 30g of caster sugar and lime zest until fluffy. Unfurl the rolled meringue, with the tea towel on the bottom. Don’t worry if it cracks and breaks a little, as the filling will stick it back together.

Spread the whipped cream onto the meringue, followed with up to half of the passionfruit curd. Lightly swirl the cream and curd together. Top with a layer of cubed mango, then using the tea towel, carefully roll it up, as tightly as you can. 

Transfer to your serving platter, and top with any remaining cubed mango and a drizzle of passionfruit curd.