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    Home » Blog posts by Rosanna ETC » Desserts

    Caramelised Fig Pavlova With Cardamom Cream

    Published: Sep 5, 2022 by Rosanna Stevens · This post may contain affiliate links · 6 Comments

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    A caramelized fig pavlova with cardamom cream makes a sweet and fragrant dessert for a dinner party. The cardamom cream tames the sweetness of the brown sugar meringue and sticky figs and tastes fancy whilst being surprisingly simple to make! This fig dessert doesn't require any special skills but looks beautiful, tastes elegant, and makes the perfect dinner party dessert.

    A fig pavlova on a table surrounded by figs and serving plates.
    Jump to:
    • Why this is the best fig dessert
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Top tip
    • Wine pairing for fig and cardamom pavlova
    • Substitutions and variations
    • Equipment
    • Storage
    • Other dinner party dessert recipes
    • Recipe Card
    • FAQ

    Why this is the best fig dessert

    1. The flavor combination: Fig and cardamom are a delicious flavor combination. The sweet figs and meringue paired with delicately fragrant cardamom cream taste elegant and refined, and this is a great dessert for dinner parties.
    2. Guests love meringue: Meringue desserts like this fig pavlova or Eton Mess are always so popular with dinner guests. Pavlova has the benefit of being a gluten-free dessert, and it can be made in advance, so it's handy in a multitude of ways. And it is a recipe that uses only egg whites, so if you are looking for leftover egg whites recipes, definitely try this.
    3. It's surprisingly easy: Making homemade pavlova is one of those desserts that taste and appears to be much more complicated than it is. It's suitable even for beginner cooks, and I'll take you through each stage with all my chef tips and pointers.

    Ingredients

    Here is what you will need to make this fig and cardamom pavlova.

    The ingredients for a caramelised fig pavlova with cardamom cream: egg whites, sugar, figs, lemon, double cream, yoghurt, lemon and cardamom pods.
    1. Egg whites: Meringue uses egg whites only, and it is important to use eggs at room temperature and separate the whites from the yolks carefully.
    2. Fine sugar: I use fine light brown sugar or golden sugar for meringue as it has a deeper, richer flavor and works so well with the figs. You can use golden caster sugar or fine white sugar instead. Do not use regular or dark brown sugar; it has too much moisture.
    3. White wine vinegar: I do not put cream or tartar, or vinegar into the meringue itself, but I do make a habit of wiping out the bowl and whisk attachment with vinegar as it helps clean off any residual fat and creates a stronger meringue.
    4. Butter: We gently caramelize the figs in butter and a touch of extra sugar to get them sticky, sweet, and soft.
    5. Figs: Figs are in season from spring until autumn, and any variety will work, but for this fig pavlova recipe, I used Bursa figs from Turkey. They are large, sweet, and juicy and generally available between June and November.
    6. Cardamom pods:
    7. Heavy cream: We make a cardamom whipped cream filling spiked with lemon zest for extra zing, which pairs perfectly with the sweet and sticky figs piled on top of the brown sugar pavlova.
    8. Yogurt: I like to add a small amount of plain Greek yogurt to the whipped cream filling as it gives a touch more acidity and balances out the sweetness better.
    9. Lemon: Lemon juice and zest enhances all the flavors and adds a bit of citrus zing.

    See the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full quantities and step-by-step directions on how to make fig and cardamom pavlova.

    A close up of figs, lemon and cardamom seeds.

    Instructions

    How to make golden sugar meringue

    1. Preheat oven to 150 degrees Celsius/300 degrees Fahrenheit.
    2. Line a large low-sided baking tray with parchment paper or silicon liner.
    3. Separate the egg whites from the yolks into a large mixing bowl, taking particular care not to get any egg yolk into the white. Even a tiny speck of egg yolk in your egg white will result in a failed meringue.
    4. Whisk the egg whites until they reach a pale with stiff peaks using an electric hand whisk or stand mixer.
    5. Slowly add the light brown sugar, a small amount at a time, whilst continuing to whisk. The meringue mixture will turn opaque creamy white/beige color with thick and glossy texture.
    6. Spoon the brown sugar meringue onto the tray and use a spatula to spread it into a circle with a slight dip in the middle.
    7. Bake the meringue in the oven for 1 hour, turning the heat down to 140 degrees Celsius/285 degrees Fahrenheit as soon as you put it in.
    8. When the hour is up, turn the oven off but do not open it. Leave the meringue in the oven to cool and dry out, which will ideally be at least a few hours.

    Top meringue baking tip: Put some vinegar onto a piece of kitchen paper and wipe it around your mixing bowl and whisk attachment before whipping egg whites.

    Brown sugar meringue on a baking tray about to be baked in the oven.

    How to make caramelized figs

    1. Slice the figs into quarters
    2. Melt butter in a frying pan over medium heat.
    3. Add the figs and a teaspoon of cardamom pods to the sizzling butter and sprinkle a tablespoon of sugar over the top.
    4. Gently cook the figs in the butter, and sugar, with a teaspoon of cardamom pods, until the figs soften and caramelize slightly.
    5. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely. Then, remove the cardamom pods from the pan and discard them.
    Figs and cardamom pods cooking in butter snd sugar.

    How to make cardamom cream filling

    1. Split open the remaining cardamom pods with a knife to remove the small black seeds inside.
    2. Grind the cardamom seeds into a fine powder using a pestle and mortar, coffee, or nut grinder. Some hard outer shells might remain, so pass them through a fine mesh sieve and discard the larger pieces that remain.
    3. Pour heavy cream into a large mixing bowl and add the ground cardamom seeds and lemon zest.
    4. Whip heavy cream until thick and starting to stiffen, then gently mix in the yogurt, which will loosen it slightly again.

    Hint: If you can find ground cardamom seeds ready prepared, buy them instead of doing it yourself from cardamom pods. It does take a bit of time to crack, deseed and then grind them.

    Cardamom seeds in a pestle and mortar being ground down.

    Assembling fig pavlova

    1. Place the meringue base on a serving dish or platter.
    2. Spoon the whipped cardamom cream filling onto the brown sugar pavlova
    3. Arrange the caramelized figs on top of the whipped cream. Serve and enjoy!

    Top tip

    It is best to store the components for this dessert separately and assemble them right before eating so that the brown sugar meringue is perfectly crunchy.

    A fig and cardamom pavlova surrounded by fresh figs.

    Wine pairing for fig and cardamom pavlova

    This dessert provides a bit of a wine pairing challenge (which I love). The tricky factor is the cardamom, as it almost acts as a barrier between the other flavors and the wine and needs something powerful to stand up to it. The more cardamom you put in, the more you need to veer towards a much sweeter wine, like a tawny port or intense sweet wine. The other option is a sweet or off-dry sparkling wine, a Prosecco, for example. I'd love to know what you try and how it works; let me know in the comments!

    Substitutions and variations

    Here are a few ways to change up this fig pavlova recipe to suit you.

    1. White sugar - if you don't have any brown sugar, white will work just as well.
    2. Yogurt - increase the ratio of yogurt to cream to make this recipe lighter and lower in fat.
    3. Fruit - try other stone fruits instead of figs, e.g., plums, apples, or apricot.

    Love this flavor combination? Try my fig and cardamom macarons, or find other elegant desserts for dinner parties here.

    Equipment

    1. Large lined baking tray.
    2. Large mixing bowl.
    3. Electric whisk or Kitchen Aid
    4. Paring knife.
    5. Pestle and mortar or coffee/nut grinder.
    6. Frying pan.

    Storage

    The light brown sugar meringue for fig pavlova can be made in advance and kept in an air-tight container for 3 weeks or even frozen.

    Once filled and assembled, the caramelized fig and cardamom pavlova will need to be stored in the fridge and consumed within 3 days. It is best enjoyed soon after assembly.

    Other dinner party dessert recipes

    • A Rhubarb pistachio pavlova on a cake stand.
      Rhubarb Pistachio Pavlova
    • Easy Limoncello Creme Brulee.
      Easy Limoncello Crème Brûlée (no water bath)
    • Hazelnut coffee macarons on a bed of coffee beans.
      Hazelnut Coffee Macarons
    • Foolproof Apple Tarte Tartin.
      A Foolproof Tarte Tatin Quick Dessert

    Recipe Card

    Fig pavlova with cardamom cream

    Caramelised Fig Pavlova With Cardamom Cream

    Rosanna Stevens
    A sweet and fragrant fig and cardamom pavlova that makes the ideal dessert for a dinner party.
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 30 minutes mins
    Cook Time 1 hour hr
    Drying out and assembly time 3 hours hrs
    Total Time 4 hours hrs 30 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 10 people
    Calories 305 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 large mixing bowl
    • 1 large, lined baking tray
    • 1 pestle and mortar
    • 1 small knife
    • 1 electric whisk or kitchen aid

    Ingredients
     
     

    Brown sugar meringue

    • 4 egg whites (large)
    • 300 grams golden caster sugar /fine light brown sugar

    Cardamom cream filling

    • 400 ml heavy cream /double cream
    • 100 grams yogurt
    • 20 grams cardamom pods
    • 1 teaspoon lemon zest

    Caramelised figs

    • 8 figs
    • 1 tablespoon butter
    • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
    • 1 teaspoon cardamom pods

    Instructions
     

    Meringue

    • Preheat the oven to 150 degrees Celsius/300 degrees Fahrenheit. 
    • Separate the egg whites from the yolks, taking particular care not to get any egg yolk into the white.
    • Whisk the egg whites until pale with stiff peaks using an electric hand whisk or stand mixer, then slowly add the sugar a small amount at a time whilst continuing to whisk the egg whites. The meringue mixture should turn opaque creamy white, thick, and glossy. 
    • Spoon the brown sugar meringue onto a lined baking tray and use a spatula to spread it into a circle with a slight dip in the middle. 
    • Bake the meringue in the oven for 1 hour, turning the heat down to 140 degrees Celsius/285 degrees Fahrenheit as soon as you put it in.
    • When the hour is up, turn the oven off but do not open it. Leave the meringue in the oven to cool and dry out, which will ideally be at least a few hours. 

    Caramelized figs

    • Slice the figs into quarters and melt butter in a frying pan over medium heat.
    • Add the figs and a teaspoon of cardamom pods to the butter and sprinkle a tablespoon of sugar over them. 
    • Gently cook the figs in the butter, sugar, and cardamom pods until they soften and caramelize. Turn off the heat and allow to cool before removing the cardamom pods and discarding them.

    Cardamom cream filling

    • Take the remaining cardamom pods and carefully split them open with a knife to remove the seeds. Grind the seeds into a fine powder in a pestle and mortar, coffee, or nut grinder. Some hard outer shells might remain, so pass them through a fine mesh sieve and discard the larger pieces that remain. 
    • Pour the cream into a large mixing bowl and add the ground cardamom seeds and lemon zest. Whip the cream until it is thick and stiffening, before mixing in the yogurt which will slacken it again. 

    Assembly

    • Place the meringue base on a serving platter and spread the whipped cardamom cream filling into the dent in the middle.
    • Arrange the caramelized figs on top of the cream. Serve and enjoy! 

    Video

    Notes

    If adjusting the quantities of this fig pavlova, allow for 75 grams/2.6 ounces of sugar per large egg white. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 305kcalCarbohydrates: 42gProtein: 3gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 47mgSodium: 47mgPotassium: 235mgFiber: 2gSugar: 39gVitamin A: 661IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 90mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword Brown sugar pavlova, Fig and cardamom, Fig Pavlova
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    FAQ

    When did pavlova become popular?

    Pavlova became popular in the 1920s as Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova toured Australia and New Zealand and the dessert was created in her honour.

    Should you use white or brown sugar for pavlova?

    You can use either white or brown sugar for meringue, in this fig and cardamom pavlova recipe I use brown but white will work just as well. It is best to use a fine granulated sugar for meringue, often known as caster sugar.

    Can pavlova be made in advance?

    Yes you can make pavlova in advance, but I advise that you only assemble it with the cream and toppings before it is served.

    Can you eat pavlova when pregnant?

    Yes, the egg whites in pavlova are cooked so it is safe to eat when pregnant.

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      Snowman Macarons With Cinnamon Buttercream Filling

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Shelby says

      September 05, 2022 at 12:37 pm

      5 stars
      I love how "fancy" these look but they're really so simple to make!

      Reply
    2. Gina Abernathy says

      September 05, 2022 at 12:37 pm

      5 stars
      Fancy yet simple to make. This is an amazing recipe using simple ingredients that yields a huge taste. Very impressive for the family or guests.

      Reply
    3. Lettie says

      September 05, 2022 at 1:01 pm

      5 stars
      This was delicious, a really grown up tasting dessert that was ideal for me as gluten free. Thank you!

      Reply
    4. Jere Cassidy says

      September 05, 2022 at 3:55 pm

      5 stars
      I love to find a recipe that looks so elegant but is so easy to make. The cardamom cream is heavenly, I plan to make that for other recipes.

      Reply
    5. nancy says

      September 06, 2022 at 1:24 am

      5 stars
      wow this Caramelised Fig Pavlova was amazing. Everyone loved it even though I couldn't get it to look as good as yours!

      Reply
    6. Katie says

      September 06, 2022 at 11:10 am

      5 stars
      This is incredibly beautiful!! Perfect pavlova recipe for beginners like me!

      Reply

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    Hi! I'm Rosanna, a trained chef, wine enthusiast, former event director, and style fanatic. At rosannaetc.com, I share seasonal dinner party recipes, wine pairings, and hosting tips. If you love to entertain in style, you've come to the right place!

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