Apricot Pistachio Pavlova Recipes

APRICOT & PISTACHIO PAVLOVA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to fan 120C / conventional 140C / gas 1.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and draw a circle (diameter = 23cm).
• Brush circle with a thin film of oil.
• In a small bowl, blend the cornflour, vanilla extract and vinegar to a smooth paste.
• In a separate clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff (you may add a pinch of salt to speed the process up).
• Gradually whisk in the sugar a little at a time.
• Then whisk in the cornflour paste until well combined.
• Spoon the mixture onto the parchment paper, then spread it onto the drawn circle.
• Swirl the edges with the back of the spoon to give lovely soft folds and peaks.
• Scatter half the pistachios over the meringue and bake for 1 hour, by which time it will feel crisp if you tap it.
• Turn off the oven, but leave the Pavlova inside to cool, with the oven door open.
• Set aside 450g (1lb) of the apricots and roughly chop the rest, discarding stones.
• Purée the chopped apricots, then push them through a sieve with a metal spoon.
• Stir in the liqueur and sweeten with 3tbsp icing sugar, or enough to sweeten as you like it.
• Lightly whip the cream so it's soft and billowy, then spoon over the the pavlova. Cut the reserved 450g (1lb) apricots in half, discard stones, then cut into wedges.
• Scatter over the whipped cream along with the remaining pistachios. Dust with remaining icing sugar and serve with the apricot purée.

APRICOT TART WITH PISTACHIOS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Lay 1 sheet phyllo on a parchment-lined 12-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon butter and brush to coat the entire phyllo sheet.
• Top with another sheet and butter as above. Repeat with 7 more sheets, for a total of 9, buttering as you go. The final, top layer should also be buttered. (The rest of the phyllo can be wrapped and frozen for future use.)
• Dot the top sheet with jam by the teaspoon, then, using a spatula, spread the jam to cover the entire sheet, leaving a 2-inch border.
• Sprinkle a layer of half the chopped pistachios over the jam. Place the apricot wedges, skin-side down, in even rows across the surface, then sprinkle again with remaining pistachios.
• Carefully fold over the edges on all sides of the tart to make a 10-by-16-inch rectangle. Brush folded sides with butter. Sprinkle sugar generously over apricots and folded edges.
• Bake until pastry is golden and apricots begin to color, about 1 hour. Cool for 15 minutes, then cut into squares. Serve warm or at room temperature.