Caramel Apple Pavlovas

& MY 30TH BIRTHDAY 🎂

Hi everyone,

I hope you’re all having a lovely week.

Last week was a big one for me as I turned 30. Earlier in the year I decided I wanted to celebrate properly, so I threw a big party with all my friends. I thought it might be nice to share a few of the things I organised to make the night feel really special.

If you live in London and haven’t been to New Covent Garden Flower Market, I really recommend going. It’s mainly for florists but anyone can go in and buy flowers. The hours are intense (12am to 10am) and everything starts winding down by around 8am, so if you’re planning a trip I’d aim for 7am at the latest to get the best stems. Whenever I’m hosting or running a supper club, this is always where I go because I like doing as many of the elements myself as possible.

Top is my inspiration from Pinterest | Bottom is my efforts

Now onto the food. It only felt right to have some picky bits for everyone, because I always put out food when I’m hosting. Since it was my birthday, I decided to give myself the night off cooking for once. Instead, I teamed up with one of my favourite local spots and privately hired the space. I’ve loved Bar Levan for years, so celebrating somewhere familiar and close to home felt perfect. Their menu is made for pairing with wine, so we chose all the best finger food options: olives, gildas (always a must for me), charcuterie, pan con tomate, cheese and plenty of bread and butter.

For a fun little surprise, I arranged for croque monsieurs and French fries to come out at 10pm as a late night snack and a bit of a second wind. I’d seen some inspiration for this which I’ll share below, and I bought some cute silver trays and metal coups for all the picky bits and snacks.

Another touch I wanted to add was cocktails. Because the venue is a wine bar, I thought it would be nice to have something different as the night went on. I love a glass of wine but it’s not something I can drink all evening. It’s nice to switch to cocktails at a certain point. We went for margaritas (a classic) and mandarin daiquiris, which felt perfectly seasonal. I’ve shared a few photos from my party mood-board to give you a feel for what inspired the night, and I’ll be sharing some photos from the actual party very soon.

My inspiration I found on Pinterest

Now onto this week’s recipe. Staying on the party theme, I wanted to share one of my go to dinner party desserts. When I was younger I loved having friends round for homemade fried chicken and potato wedges, followed by a giant pavlova topped with whipped custard and seasonal fruit. I’ve been working on this recipe in partnership with La Española, pairing their new Centennial EVOO with caramel apples and it works so well.

The secret to good meringue or pavlova is simply giving the egg whites the time they need in the mixer. I always use a stand mixer but an electric hand whisk works well too. The most important thing is starting with a really clean bowl because even the tiniest bit of grease will stop the whites from whipping properly. Once the meringue is glossy and holds its shape, you’re there. It’s one of those desserts that looks impressive but is actually very simple once you get the hang of it, which is why it’s become such a go to for me when I’m hosting.

RECIPE BELOW…

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Caramel Apple Pavlovas

Serves 6

Ingredients

For the pavlovas

• 5 egg whites

• 250g caster sugar

For the caramel apples

• 3 medium size granny smith apples

• 200g golden caster sugar

• 35g unsalted butter

• pinch of sea salt

For the custard cream

• 250g good quality custard

• 300ml double cream

Method

Make the pavlovas

1. Preheat the oven to 100°C (low and slow is key for a crisp, pale shell).

2. Line a large baking tray with parchment.

3. In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks.

4. Gradually add the caster sugar, a tablespoon at a time, whisking continuously until the meringue is thick, glossy, and holds stiff peaks.

5. Transfer the meringue to a plastic piping bag. Cut a hole roughly 4 cm wide at the end.

6. Pipe six even smooth mounds of meringue onto the lined tray.

7. Using the back of a tablespoon, gently make a small dip in the centre of each mound, this will hold the caramel apples and cream later.

8. Bake for 1 hour 45 minutes at 100°C, then turn off the oven and allow the pavlovas to cool completely inside the oven.

Make the caramel apples

1. Peel, core, and dice the Granny Smith apples into small chunks.

2. Place the golden caster sugar into a large saucepan over medium heat. Allow it to melt and turn a deep amber colour, avoid stirring and instead swirl the pan occasionally.

3. Once caramelised, carefully stir in the butter and sea salt.

4. Add the apples and cook for 5–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples soften but still hold their shape.

5. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Make the custard cream

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the custard and double cream.

2. Whisk until just set and smooth but not stiff. Set to one side or cover and place in the fridge if prepping hours in advance.

Assemble

1. Place a pavlova on a serving plate.

2. Spoon or pipe a generous amount of custard cream into the central dip.

3. Top with a spoonful of caramel apples, letting some of the caramel drip over the edges, drizzle with the extra virgin olive oil and serve right away.