Fig pavlova with salted maple butterscotch

Fig Pavlova With Salted Maple Browned Butterscotch Sauce

An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 2 hours

• 6 egg whites (around 220g)
• 2 tablespoons cornflour/fine cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1.5 cups caster or superfine sugar
• 6 figs, halved
• 300ml/10.6fl ozs. cream
• 2 tablespoons toasted coconut flakes

For Salted Maple Butterscotch Sauce

• 60g/2.2ozs browned butter*
• 2/3 cup maple syrup
• 2/3 cup cream
• Fat pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

To make browned butter heat butter in a saucepan on medium to high heat and cook until you get a nutty aroma, about 5-6 minutes or so. Pour into a bowl and discard the burnt bits at the bottom. I always make more than I need because it's such a great item to use on anything including toast.

Step 1 - Preheat oven to 100C/212F and trace a 14cm/5.6inch circle on a sheet of parchment. Whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar until you get soft peaks. Then add the cornflour and pour a stream of the sugar into the whites and whip until you get stiff peaks. You should be able to turn the meringue upside down without it moving.

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Step 2 - Scoop onto the prepared parchment (it will spread maybe an inch or so). I reserved about 1 cup of the meringue and filled a plain tipped piping bag and piped some patterns on the side. Bake for 2 hours and then turn heat off and allow to cool in the oven. This can be made the day before and just kept in the cool oven until needed.

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Step 3 - Make the sauce ahead of time. Heat the butter and maple syrup until simmering. Then add the cream and boil to thicken uncovered, about 5 minutes. Add salt and vanilla to taste once it has cooled. Cool completely.

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Step 4 - Whip cream until you get soft peaks. I didn't add any sugar as the pavlova and the butterscotch syrup are sweet enough.

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Step 5 - Be very gentle with the pavlova as it is delicate. I didn't remove it from the parchment and served it on the parchment. Place it on a platter and dollop cream on top and top with fig halves and drizzled fig sauce.

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