I love sweet Cypriot Lokoumi and fancied using some in a dessert so here is what I came up with…there was an element of surprise when I served it to my no-nonsense Aunts. Okay, so it is not traditional but is truly scrumptious, all fluff and frivolous just like Aphrodite! Definitely not one for my Aunts to try, though I’d love to witness it!
Ingredients
- 4 egg whites
- 1 glass (225g) of caster sugar
- 2tbsp of rosewater
- 6 tbsp of pistachio nuts, chopped
- 600ml carton of whipping cream, lightly whipped
- 2 heaped tbsp of Greek yogurt
- 250g of rose Lokoumi
Method
- Preheat the oven to 140°C/Gas 1.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a clean grease-free bowl whisk the egg whites until stiff.
- Now gradually whisk in the sugar, a tablespoon at a time until all is glossy. You should be able to turn the bowl upside down and the meringue will stay put. Definitely not one for the Aunts to try!
- Fold in 1 tablespoon of rosewater and 4 tablespoons of the pistachios.
- Use a 5cm pastry cutter to dip into icing sugar and then imprint eight perfect circles evenly onto the parchment paper as a template for each pavlova. Divide the meringue evenly within each circle and form into rocky peaked mounds. Using the back of a spoon make a dip in each centre…. the children use their fingers to do this!
- Bake for 1 hour or until just tinged with colour.
- Leave to cool in the turned-off oven for a couple more hours. The meringues can now be carefully transferred into an airtight container and will store well for up to 5 days.
When the moment has come to serve the pavlova, chop the Lokoumi into small dice, a dusting of icing sugar helps prevent everything sticking together. Then fold into the whipped cream with 1 tablespoon of rosewater and the thick yoghurt.
Share the cream between the centre of each meringue, scatter on the remaining pistachios for a finishing flourish.
Dab a little meringue onto each corner of the baking sheets and cover with baking parchment. The parchment then stays ‘put’ for you!
