The new book from award-winning duo Greg and Lucy Malouf translates traditional Middle Eastern cooking in a contemporary kitchen. We headed straight to the sweet chapter for this delicious citric dessert.

Preparation time

40 minutes

Cooking time

1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

4 egg whites
220g caster sugar
2 tbsp cornflour
2 tbsp white vinegar
1 tbsp orange-flower water
60g caster sugar
50g honey
100ml orange juice
3 strips lemon zest
1 tbsp orange-flower water
4 figs, peeled and cut into wedges
100g mascarpone
50m cream
30g icing sugar
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
Elderflowers for garnish

Method

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 150˚C/gas mark 2. Line two trays with baking paper and draw 10cm circles. Whisk the egg whites into a foam. Sift in the sugar and whisk until it stands stiff. Finally whisk in the sifted cornflour, vinegar and orange-flower water.

Step 2: Using a piping bag, arrange the meringue in concentric circles within the outlines. Reduce the oven temperature to 120˚C and bake for 1 hour 20 minutes. Turn off the oven, allow the pavlovas to cool, and transfer to a wire rack.

Step 3: For the toffeed figs, boil the sugar, honey and half the orange juice. Lower the heat and add the lemon zest. Once it thickens into a caramel, remove from heat and stir in the orange-flower water and remaining juice. Stir well and allow to cool.

Step 4: Whisk the mascarpone and cream, then add the icing sugar and lemon zest. Spread onto the pavlovas, decorate with fig and drizzle with caramel. Garnish with elderflowers.

Malouf: New Middle Eastern Food by Greg and Lucy Malouf (£30, Hardie Grant)

Toffeed fig pavlovas