Winter Spiced Orange Pavlova

My winter spiced orange pavlova is a delicious celebration dessert with a rich Christmas pudding filling, topped with zesty spiced oranges. Ideal for an after-Christmas or New Year lunch party or as a lighter pud for Christmas Day.

Why I Love Meringue

I inherited my love of meringue from my mother.  For as long as I can remember, we have both adored the crisp white cakes, with a marshmallowy inside.  Like madeleines, meringues really are better when you make them yourself. The shop ones are too white, too tooth-achingly sweet and too powdery, without the chewy soft inside that makes a meringue so special.

See Also

• Banana mincemeat loaf cake makes a lovely alternative Christmas cake or a teatime treat for any time of year.
• If you’re looking for a replacement to traditional Christmas pudding, no-bake mincemeat cheesecake is perfect. Light, easy and delicious.
• If you still have any leftover mincemeat, see all my mincemeat recipes to use up that jar in the fridge.

I do not know why people are scared of meringue.  There really is very little that can go wrong and the result really is the perfect party dessert. You can do most of the work in advance. It doesn’t need a lot of attention at the last minute and it makes a big impression on your guests. 

To make meringues, you must have a squeaky clean bowl, and this is one occasion when you do not want freshly-laid eggs. Use one and a half times sugar to the weight of the eggs and you are all set. Whenever I use an egg yolk alone, I freeze the white in my silicone muffin pan. Then I store it  in a plastic box in the freezer until I am ready to make meringues. Here I used a mix of white and soft brown sugar to give a light toffee fudge flavour to the meringue. It feels warmer and more suitable for a lovely Christmas pavlova, perfect for holiday parties.

Winter Spiced Orange Pavlova

This winter spiced orange pavlova is the perfect pudding to have a few days after Christmas, as it will use up the remains of the leftover Christmas pudding. It looks impressive and tastes delicious. You can make the meringue a good week in advance and store in an air tight tin. The spiced oranges will keep for a week in the fridge and are also good with cold meat and cheeses. If you want to make it ahead of Christmas, you could use a little mincemeat (the sort without chunks of shredded fat) or soak some dried fruit in brandy or an orange liqueur. 

When the time comes to assemble the pavlova on the day, whip up the cream, crumble in the Christmas pudding and you have an impressive centre piece in about 5 minutes. No one will know they are eating leftovers!  Please do not worry about the small amount of vinegar in the oranges. It cuts through the sweetness and adds some acidity and balance.

The oranges are based on a Diana Henry recipe. Slice an orange, cut into semicircles and cover the slices with water. Add a splash of white wine vinegar, a generous spoonful of sugar, a cinnamon stick, cloves and cardamom pods. Gently simmer until the oranges are soft. Alternatively, the remains of some homemade cranberry sauce would go well instead.

How to Make Winter Spiced Orange Pavlova

To Make the Meringue

Step one – Preheat the oven to GM2 / 150°C / 300°F.

Step two – Whisk the egg white with half a teaspoon of the sugar. You can either do this in a stand mixer, or with a hand-held electric whisk. Whisk until white and frothy. Then add the sugar gradually, whisking all the time until the meringue stands in soft peaks.

Step three – Turn out the meringue onto a sheet of parchment paper on a baking tray. Shape into a nest about 9 inches in diameter.

Step four – Sprinkle with some edible glitter and place in the preheated oven. Turn the oven down to GM1 / 275F / 140C immediately. Cook for about 40–50 minutes. When the meringue is hard on the outside and sounds hollow when lightly tapped, turn the oven off. Allow the meringue to cool inside the oven.

To Make the Oranges

Step one – Slice an orange into narrow slices and cut these in half to make semicircles. Put the orange slices in a pan. 

Step two – Cover the orange with water. Add a splash of white wine vinegar, a generous spoonful of sugar, a cinnamon stick, cloves and cardamom pods.

Step three – Gently simmer until the oranges are soft. Allow to cool and then keep in the fridge until you are ready to assemble your Christmas pavlova. 

To Assemble

Step one – Drain the oranges, reserving the syrup. Whip the cream together with the syrup from the oranges or with a dash of your favourite liqueur, until the mixture holds soft peaks

Step two – Stir the crumbled Christmas pudding into the whipped cream mixture very gently, so as not to lose air from the cream.

Step three – Fill the meringue nest with the cream. Then arrange the orange slices on top. Serve your winter spiced orange pavlova immediately and enjoy your guests’ appreciation!

Hints, Tips & Variations for Your Christmas Pavlova

• If you don’t have leftover pudding (or Christmas cake), use a spoonful of mincemeat (avoiding the versions with chunks of suet), or soak some dried fruit in brandy or orange liqueur and add a pinch of mixed spice. 
• Leftover cranberry sauce makes an alternative topping, or you could poach some pears in a little pear or apple liqueur. 
• If you have been given bottled fruit in alcohol or syrup, use this instead of the oranges. 

If you enjoy this winter spiced orange pavlova, why not try my no-churn chocolate ice cream meringue gateau? 

Or if you are looking for more seasonal party food, how about these smoked salmon verrines or these easy prosciutto canapés?