Photography: Con Poulos/ Styling: Steve Pearce
Christmas in Australia calls for something cool, creamy and a bit show-stopping, and this pavlova trifle ticks every box. Crisp, marshmallowy meringue shards are layered with juicy summer stone fruit tossed in butterscotch syrup, wobbly jelly and clouds of caramel-swirled cream. It’s the best bits of pavlova and trifle in one glorious dish, and it looks sensational on the festive table. Best of all, the meringues and jelly can be made days ahead, so you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying the celebrations with your family and friends.
Ingredients
Method
For the meringues, preheat oven to 170°C (150°C fan-forced). Place egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk on high speed until stiff peaks form. Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking for 30 seconds between additions. Scrape down the sides and whisk for a further 6 minutes or until stiff and glossy. Add vinegar and whisk for 2 minutes or until combined. Spoon large spoonfuls onto 2 large baking trays lined with non-stick baking paper. Place in the oven, reduce temperature to 150°C (120°C fan-forced) and bake for 1 hour 30 minutes. Turn the oven off and cool for 1 hour with the door closed.
For the jelly, combine gelatine and ¼ cup (60ml) water in a bowl. Stand for 5 minutes or until absorbed. Place Lillet, sugar and remaining water in a saucepan over medium heat and stir until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat, add gelatine mixture and stir to combine. Pour into a shallow tray and refrigerate for 2 hours or until set. Cut into fine cubes.
For the butterscotch syrup, combine butterscotch schnapps, sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Simmer for 4–5 minutes or until slightly reduced. Refrigerate until cold. Add stone fruit and toss to coat.
Place cream and sour cream in the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk to stiff peaks. Add caramel and fold through to swirl.
To assemble, layer meringues, fruit, jelly and cream in a 12-cup trifle dish, crushing meringues slightly. Serve immediately.
TIP Meringues can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored in an airtight container. Jelly can be made up to 3 days in advance and refrigerated. For a non-alcoholic version, swap Lillet for apple juice and butterscotch schnapps for simple sugar syrup.
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