Passionfruit Coco Pavlovas
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Meringue nests with passionfruit crémeux, infused basil cream, fresh pineapple, toasted coconut, zesty lime, and mascarpone. An airy dessert balancing tartness and sweetness without gluten or nuts. Basil adds an herbaceous note, weaving through creamy and crunchy textures. Baking low and slow, then drying crucial for crisp shells and tender centers. Passionfruit creates a velvety custard that sets just right with gentle heat and butter. Pineapple for freshness, lime zest wakes it all up. Toasted coconut flakes add that tropical crunch. A bright-tasting, tactile plate, playful and refined, great for vegetarian menus, allergy-aware crowds. Technique matters: gentle folding, patience during baking, and good timing on whipping and cooling.
Prep:
45 min
Cook:
Total:
Servings:
8 servings
#dessert
#gluten-free
#vegetarian
#tropical
#meringue
#fusion
Gone beyond ordinary pavlova with this wild spin—passionfruit tang cuts through the airy meringue cage, basil-creamed whipping cream brightens every bite. Pineapple’s juiciness and toasted coconut crunch clatter for a tropical carnival in mouth. Low and slow baking needed; rush it and the shell cracks like a brittle shell too soon. Tried using lime juice in meringue once, odd but helps hold shape, brings acidity—better than vinegar. The crémeux is finicky but silky, like custard that cocoons in butter’s cool silkiness. I whip the basil cream last moment, strain for smoothness—just enough herbs not to spoil balance. Don’t skip drying the meringue completely or soggy disaster. The laziness in prepping basil cream overnight pays off. This dessert dances between tart and sweet, herbaceous and tropical, airy and rich.
Ingredients
Basil-Infused Cream
- 130 ml whipping cream 35 percent, chilled
- 12 g fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
Meringues
- 8 ml corn starch (about 1 2/3 teaspoons)
- 7 ml fresh lime juice (approx 1 1/2 teaspoons)
- 3 medium egg whites, room temperature
- 170 g caster sugar (approx 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon)
Passionfruit Crémeux
- 50 g fine sugar (about 1/4 cup)
- 3 large egg yolks
- 80 ml passionfruit juice (just under 1/3 cup), strained
- 28 g unsalted butter, cubed and cold
Garnish
- 120 g mascarpone cheese
- 35 ml granulated sugar (about 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon)
- 90 g pineapple, finely diced
- Zest of 1 lime
- Toasted coconut flakes for finish
- Small basil leaves for garnish
About the ingredients
Substitute mascarpone with full-fat cream cheese for tang if mascarpone not on hand—texture denser, flavor sharper, so reduce sugar slightly. Can swap passionfruit juice with mango or guava puree plus a splash of lime juice for acidity, keep crémeux lively. For egg whites: room temp is key for volume. Basil: fresh and vibrant, older leaves turn bitter and dark, ruining infusion. Use organic when possible for best aroma. Corn starch balances meringue structure but if none, tapioca starch works; adjust quantity by a pinch since tapioca thickens differently. Sugar method: castor sugar preferred for quick dissolving; granulated takes longer, causing grainy whites. Baking mats preferred over parchment—prevents sticking on underside. Pineapple ideally ripe but firm, so it holds shape and bursts freshness without mushiness. Toast coconut on dry pan until golden, watch carefully—it burns within seconds.
Method
Basil-Infused Cream
- Mix chilled cream with chopped basil in a covered bowl; refrigerate minimum 7 hours or overnight. The basil needs time to infuse its aroma without wilting or turning bitter—no shortcuts here. The cream will smell bright, herbal, fresh.
Meringues
- Place oven rack mid-level; set temp to 90 °C (195 °F), fan off or very low. Line a baking sheet with silicone mat or parchment—nonstick essential to pull meringues clean.
- Combine corn starch with lime juice in a small dish; stir smooth. Overlay cornstarch slurry gently will stabilize meringue later, mimics acidity from lime.
- Beat egg whites at medium speed until frothy. Slowly add sugar in thin streams while increasing speed to high. Watch shine develop, white peaks form. When firm peaks hold shape but not dry, fold in corn starch mixture carefully to avoid deflation.
- Scoop or pipe eight 75-ml (1/3 cup) dollops spaced apart. Press a small well in center of each for filling later. The meringue should feel stable to touch but still moist inside.
- Bake 2 hr 10 min until dry to touch and peel off easily. Then switch oven off, wedge door open with wooden spoon, leave meringues in for 2 hr to dry fully. Humidity kills crispness, so naked air drying is crucial. If cracking appears, that’s normal—handle gently.
Passionfruit Crémeux
- Off heat, whisk yolks with sugar until smooth, no graininess. Add passionfruit juice and cold butter cubes. Stir well, then cook on low heat, stirring constantly, scraping pan edges. When mixture lightly bubbles and thickens to coat back of spoon, remove promptly—don’t overcook or yolks scramble. Thickness should cling but flow.
- Pass crémeux through fine sieve into bowl, cover surface with cling film to prevent skin forming; cool to room temp then refrigerate at least 50 min or until set but still tender.
Assembly
- Whip mascarpone with sugar till creamy but not runny. Through fine mesh sieve, strain basil cream to remove leaves; discard. Whip cream until soft peaks hold, still pliable but not stiff. Put into piping bag fitted with star tip for control.
- Fill meringue wells with chilled passionfruit crémeux, pipe basil cream around edges forming a generous border. Central hole filled with diced pineapple for juicy contrast.
- Sprinkle lime zest and toasted coconut flakes on top. Finish with small basil leaves for herbal punch and color. Save some coconut for texture crescendo.
- Serve soon after assembling or store cool but avoid sogginess. The meringue will slowly absorb moisture; best eaten within few hours.
Tips and Fixes
- No passionfruit? Use mango puree with addition of lime juice for acidity. If meringues weep, ensure egg whites at room temp and sugar added gradually. If cracks form during baking, it’s from rapid drying—ok, rustic charm.
- Infuse cream longer for stronger basil flavor but beware bitterness from bruised herbs. Folding corn starch mix into whites must be gentle to keep air intact.
- Butter cold for classic crémeux texture. Don’t rush cooling as warm custard ruins meringue texture.
- Overall work ahead in stages, planning refrigeration and drying times carefully protects delicate components.
Cooking tips
Resting basil cream overnight extracts flavor gently, avoiding strong vegetal bitterness. Whip meringue with slow sugar addition for stable, glossy peaks—patience prevents grainy texture. Folding starch-lime slurry stabilizes egg whites, regulates acidity, but fold slowly to preserve volume. Baking low temp ensures shells dry without browning or cracking excessively; crusty shell with soft interior desired. Leaving oven door ajar post-bake allows moisture to escape, drying meringues perfectly. For crémeux, constantly whisk prevents curdling, heating evenly encourages thickening before bubble boil signals doneness. Butter added cold emulsifies slowly, enriching texture, cools mixture on contact. Pipe basil cream last moment; whip too early and it separates or loses volume. Straining cream removes sharp basil bits, yielding soft herbal note without rough texture. Layer components gently to maintain airy textures—oomph a must. Assembling close to serving time preserves crisp meringue, fresh aromas, vibrant colors. If creamed basil not to taste, add little lemon zest to brighten.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Chill cream with basil long enough; overnight best. Aroma changes but no bitterness if careful. Avoid bruised leaves—they turn sharp. Strain cream well before whipping. Herbs rough when stirred in unfiltered.
- 💡 Slow sugar addition to egg whites. If rushed, meringue grainy or collapse later. Watch for glossy peaks, feel tips, want stable but not dry. Folding starch-lime slurry gently. Too fast means lost volume.
- 💡 Oven temp steady at 90 °C. Any hotter, shells brown, cracks bigger. Fan off or lowest setting. Post-bake door wedge essential to dry shells fully. Moisture kills crispness fast.
- 💡 Crémeux heat low, constant whisking, edge scraping. Melt butter cold into mix off heat, folding carefully. One hint of boil, remove. Thin mix will not set, over heat scrambles yolks.
- 💡 Assemble close to serving. Meringues absorb moisture fast. Basil cream whip last moment, pipe fast or will deflate/lose air. Pineapple diced small enough to fit well but keep bite. Toast coconut to golden, watch quick burn.
Common questions
Can I substitute mascarpone?
Use full-fat cream cheese. Texture denser. Flavor sharper. Reduce sugar a bit to balance. Slightly different mouthfeel but works if mascarpone missing.
What if meringues crack?
Common with low temp drying. Not failing. Cracks okay—rustic look. Avoid opening oven too early. Slow drying key. Bigger cracks mean temp drift or humidity high.
How long to store assembled?
Best few hours max. Meringue soaks moisture quick. Otherwise separate components fridge, then build before serving. Basil cream loses air if left too long piped.
Can passionfruit juice be replaced?
Mango or guava purees plus lime juice works. Keeps acidity, vibrant flavor. Adjust sugar down slightly if fruit sweeter. Watch crémeux texture; pulpy fruit may need fine straining.
