Rosewater Pavlova with Watermelon Rose Sorbet
| Serves | 8 |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Watermelon |
| Menu Part | Dessert |
Pastry Chef Rochelle Cooper
Think Food Group
Washington, D.C.
To promote sustainability by reducing waste, Think Food Group’s restaurants, Pastry Chef Rochelle Cooper juices scraps of watermelon left over from watermelon salad to create a watermelon sorbet. She serves it with this light meringue dessert, adding cured cucumbers to the presentation, as well as kiwi and lime. Although there are several components to this recipe, they can all be made ahead. The fruit-forward dessert makes a great choice for guests who are avoiding gluten, dairy or nuts.
Ingredients
Sorbet base
124 g. water
139 g. granulated sugar
35 g. glucose powder
2 g. sorbet stabilizer
Watermelon rosé sorbet
680 g. watermelon juice
34 g. rosé wine
2 g. rose water
2 g. kosher salt
282 g. sorbet base
Rosewater Pavlova
223 g. egg whites
209 g. granulated sugar
209 g. confectioners’ sugar
15 g. egg white powder
15 g. cornstarch
2 g. kosher salt
5 g. lemon juice
2 g. rosewater
Watermelon chia
409 g. watermelon juice
50 g. chia seeds
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
31 g. granulated sugar
6 g. lime juice
For assembly:
1 each rosewater Pavlova
1 scoop sorbet
5 pieces watermelon, varied sizes
½ kiwifruit, peeled, sliced and quartered
2 tbsp. watermelon chia
Grated lime zest
Maldon salt
Micro mint
Sliced kiwifruit
Steps
- For sorbet base, Bring water to a boil. Meanwhile, with dry whisk, whisk dry ingredients together. Slowly stream dry ingredients into boiling water while whisking constantly. Continue whisking while bringing the mixture to 82 C. Strain through a fine mesh sieve and cool in an ice bath.
- For sorbet, prepare watermelon juice. Cut off rind from watermelon or use scraps. Place in blender and on low speed, blend to break up. Strain to remove the seeds.
- Return watermelon to blender; blend on high speed for 1 minute to pulverize the pulp a little more; strain through fine mesh sieve. Add remaining sorbet ingredients to watermelon juice; combine with hand immersion blender.
- Transfer mixture to ice cream machine and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions to the consistency of soft serve. (Watermelons vary widely in sugar content and this greatly affects the texture of the sorbet. Taste and increase sorbet base slightly if the watermelon is not sweet enough.)
- For Pavlova: Preheat oven to 185 F. Place egg whites in very clean mixer bowl; stir with whip attachment just to break up whites. Sift dry ingredients together; reserve. Begin whipping whites until frothy; add one-third the dry ingredients at a time, adding a little lemon juice and rosewater alternately. Continue whipping on high until stiff peaks form.
- Pipe meringue into large individual-size mounds onto parchment-lined sheet tray. They will expand slightly so leave 1½ inches between each. Dry meringues in oven for 1 hour 15 minutes. Once dry, store meringues in a cool dry place (a box with silica packets works well.) Meringues can also be frozen.
- For watermelon chia, juice watermelon as in Step 2. Add vanilla seeds, sugar and lime juice to watermelon. With hand blender, mix to combine. Add chia seeds, breaking up lumps or chia clusters. Allow to thicken overnight.
- To assemble, place watermelon and kiwi in a half moon, around the plate, leave space for the Pavlova and sorbet. Dress the fruits with watermelon chia. Place the pavlova in plate; scoop sorbet on top of fruit. Sprinkle lime zest over plate;, finish with a pinch of maldon salt and micro mint.
Photo courtesy of National Watermelon Promotion Board