Mulled Spiced Pavlovas

Total Time: 25 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 24 hrs Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 2
• 1 cardamom, pod
• 1 clove
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 egg
• 50 g caster sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon wine vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
• 2 tablespoons creme fraiche (use whipped cream mixed with sour cream if unavailable)
• 300 ml red wine
• 85 g caster sugar
• 2 cloves
• 2 allspice berries
• 1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
• 4 cardamom pods
• 1/2 lemon, zest of
• 1/2 orange, zest of
• 1 vanilla pod, split
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 dried figs
• 125 ml mulled wine, reserved from the figs
• 50 g caster sugar
• 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 25 g plain chocolate squares, broken into small pieces

Recipe

• 1 to make the meringues, heat the oven to 275 degrees f and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• 2 using a spice grinder, finely grind the cardamom seeds, clove, allspice and cinnamon together.
• 3 whisk the egg until stiff peaks form, then gradually whisk in the sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until you have a stiff, shiny mixture.
• 4 fold in the cornstarch, vinegar, vanilla, spice mix and orange zest.
• 5 divide the mixture into two on the prepared baking sheet and use the back of a spoon to make a slight hollow in the centre of each.
• 6 bake for 50 minutes until crisp, then turn off the heat and leave the meringues cooling in the oven for 30 minutes.
• 7 finish cooling on a wire rack.
• 8 for the figs, put all the ingredients (except the figs) in a saucepan and bring to the boil.
• 9 remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 30 minutes.
• 10 reheat the liquid, pour over the figs, then leave over night or at least, until cool.
• 11 drain the figs, reserving the liquid, and thickly slice each into 2 or 3 pieces.
• 12 to make the sauce, put 125 ml of the reserved fig liquid and sugar in a pan.
• 13 stir over low heat until the sugar has dissolved, then whisk in the cocoa and chocolate.
• 14 the mixture will thicken as the chocolate melts. allow the sauce to cool to room temperature.
• 15 to assemble, spoon a little creme fraiche onto each pavlova, top with the fig slices and drizzle with chocolate sauce. serve extra sauce on the side.