CHRISTMAS SUGAR FREE MANGO PAVLOVA MESS

Everybody loves a pavlova at Christmas, and this no sugar version in adapted from Sarah Wilson’s “I Quit Sugar for Life”. The meringue is actually half way between meringue and a macaroon and for the fruit I have used the luscious combination of mango and passion fruit. You can of course use any fruit you like…berries, banana or even kiwi fruit would also be great!

Besides having no sugar, the beauty of this recipe is that 1. It’s easy and 2. You can make parts of it ahead of time, and just assemble on the day.

MERINGUES 6 organic egg whites Pinch sea salt ⅓ cup of rice malt syrup 2 cups shredded coconut

COULIS AND FRUIT 4 large passionfruit 2 scoops stevia powder (equivalent to 2 teaspoons sugar) 2 tablespoons water 2 cups full fat organic plain yoghurt 2-3 mangoes (depending on size) sliced

Meringues: Preheat the oven to 120 0C and line a baking tray with baking paper. Separate the egg whites, add salt and beat until soft peaks form. Add the rice malt syrup and beat until mixed. Fold the coconut through. Form the meringue into rough balls (I used an ice-cream scoop) and place on the prepared tray. Bake for 30 minutes then reduce heat to 950 and bake for another 90 minutes. This will give a chewy texture. If you like them crispy, continue cooking for another hour. Remove from oven and leave to cool on the tray.

Coulis: Add the passionfruit, water and stevia to a small saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Simmer for a few minutes to reduce it. Leave to cool.

Mix ⅔ of the coulis into the yoghurt.

Assemble: Break the meringues into smaller pieces and place into 8 bowls or glasses, reserving some to sprinkle over the top. Add slices of mango, then a generous layer of the passion fruit yoghurt.

Crumble the remaining meringue pieces, sprinkle over the top then drizzle the remaining passionfruit coulis over the top.

You can make the meringues and the coulis the day before. Store the meringues in an airtight container, and the coulis in the fridge. On the day, mix the yoghurt and assemble just prior to serving.

Recipe by Judy Hanavan – Nutritionist