Pavlova recipe with blackberries, pears, cream, and black sesame seeds

Discover this elegant Pavlova with pears, blackberries, and cream, enhanced by a touch of black sesame for a unique and delicious contrast. The base is a light and crispy meringue on the outside, with a soft and airy center that literally melts in your mouth. On top of this delicate base, creamy whipped cream adds softness and balance, while fresh, juicy pears provide freshness and fruity flavor. Black sesame adds a subtly toasted and slightly crunchy note, delicately enhancing the whole and transforming this dessert into a true gastronomic experience.

Perfect for a refined dessert at a dinner party or special occasion, this pavlova combines lightness, texture, and aesthetics to impress your guests while delighting their taste buds. Easy to prepare at home, it combines the delicacy of meringue with the sweetness of fruit and the elegance of black sesame seeds for a result that is both indulgent and sophisticated.

Cooking Time

2 hours

Servings

6

Category

Dessert

Kitchen

Japanese

Ingredients

• 3–4 firm pears
• 500 ml of shiso infusion
• 60–80 g sugar (depending on how sweet you like your tea)
• 2 to 3 tablespoons of lemon juice OR 1 tablespoon of yuzu juice
• 150 g egg whites
• 215 g granulated sugar
• 15 g cornstarch
• 1 pinch of salt
• 250 ml whole cream (35% fat), well chilled
• 70 g mascarpone
• 40 g powdered sugar
• One large tablespoon of black sesame paste
• 1 pinch salt
• 100 ml of yuzu juice
• 1g of agar agar
• 1g powdered sugar

Directions

1. In a saucepan, combine the shiso infusion, sugar, and lemon/yuzu juice. Heat gently to dissolve the sugar.
2. Peel, cut in half or into quarters, remove the core.
3. Place the pears in the syrup while it is still warm but not boiling (80–85°C). Poach for 10 to 15 minutes max, depending on the variety. The pear should be tender but not too soft.
4. Let the pears cool in their syrup. Refrigerate them for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
5. Pour the egg whites into the bowl in which you will whip the meringue, then add the sugar and cornstarch. Mix with a whisk.
6. Beat with an electric mixer for about 8 minutes on speed 6-8.
7.  Add a pinch of salt. Whisk at maximum speed to stiffen the egg whites.
8. Lift the beaters to check that the meringue has the right texture: it should form a bird's beak at the end of the beater. The meringue is ready to be piped.
9.  Preheat your oven to 100°C. Bake your meringue for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Make sure your oven isn't too hot: the meringue should remain white.
10. In a large cold bowl, quickly soften the mascarpone by whisking by hand for 5–10 seconds.
11. Add the cold cream, powdered sugar, vanilla, pinch of salt, and sesame paste.
12. Start whisking at medium speed.