This is a proper showstopper. Pale, crisp meringue contrasted against pastel green matcha. A thick, sweet vanilla mascarpone cheesecake topping rippled with raspberry coulis. And fresh berries to top it all off.
You can make all the components a couple of days before, wrapping the meringue well, and storing the sauce and cheesecake topping separately in the fridge.
If you can’t get mascarpone, a neutral cream cheese or ricotta work just as well.
And don’t skip the cream of tartar. It might seem like a tiny quantity, but this will help stabilise your meringue and stop it weeping, while creating that chewy, mallowy middle we all love.
Don’t assemble your pavlova until just before or up to two hours before eating.
Ingredients (serves 8)
For the meringue:
- 6 large egg whites at room temperature
- 200g caster sugar
- 1 tsp cornflour
- ½ tsp cream of tartar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch salt
- 1 tbsp matcha powder
For the cheesecake mixture:
- 500g mascarpone
- 200ml whipping cream
- 200g icing sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- For the raspberry ripple:
- 500g raspberries – fresh or frozen
- 50g caster sugar
- 1 tbsp cornflour
- Splash cold water
To finish:
- Fresh berries
- Edible flowers
Method
Pre-heat the oven to 120C and line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper. Use a cake tin to draw a rough 20-22cm circle on the underside of the paper.
In a very very clean bowl (clean it out with vinegar first) beat the egg whites with a little salt to form soft peaks. Add the sugar, a spoonful at a time, mixing until it’s glossy, forming stiff peaks. It should feel smooth between your fingers. Sift in the cornflour and cream of tartare, and fold through, along with the vanilla extract.
Remove a third of a mixture and carefully sift and fold through the matcha powder. Swirl the matcha meringue into the main mix for a ripple effect. Now spoon the meringue onto your prepared paper, spreading it evenly, while creating a little dip in the middle for your topping.
Bake for 1-1 ¼ hours until it’s crisp on the outside. Turn the oven off and leave the door open slightly. Leave to cool for around 2-3 hours in the oven.
While the meringue cooks, make the raspberry coulis. Toss the raspberries and cornflour in a pan with the sugar. Add a splash of water, and cook down until thick and soft. Allow to cool completely.
When the meringue is totally cool, make the cheesecake topping.
Whip up the cream to soft peaks and fold through the mascarpone with the icing sugar and vanilla. Ripple through the raspberry sauce, leaving a little for decoration.
Spoon the topping over the meringue, and drizzle with a bit of the extra sauce. Decorate with fresh berries and flowers. Chill until serving – ideally within a couple of hours.
