lemon pavlova petit gateau

Ok, so. This isn’t a Pavlova, not really, but it’s inspired by one. And it’s definitely a petit gateau. We’ve tackled petit gateau before, with the orange caramel and strawberry black pepper, and I thought it was time for another.

Pavlova is a baked meringue, left crispy on the outside and soft on the inside and traditionally finished with whipped cream and fresh berries. It was named and created in honor of the famed Russian ballerina, Anna Pavlova, during her visit to New Zealand as part of a world tour. She was basically the Beyonce of 1926.

My ode to the pavlova comes by way of a baked meringue that serves as the outer shell that encases layers of lemon mousse and custard sitting on a coconut dacquoise. It’s light, bright, perfect for spring. This little pg is actually an evolution of a plated dessert I have on the menu at the restaurant.

recipe notes
step-by-step method
recipe card

recipe notes

This is a complex recipe, no doubt about it, but not a difficult one, and there IS a difference! Each individual step is well within your skill set, but there’s a clear order of operations for the components to keep things efficient and organized. Because of that, I’m giving you the recipes and assembly method together and in order (as opposed to assembly steps at the end of the post like I’ve done before). Other than that, still read through the recipe to understand the process. And just for general reference, you’ll find that the basic path to a mousse goes like this:

1. Hydrate your gelatin and whip your cream to soft peaks.
2. Make your mousse base (almost always by cooking it on a stove top), fold your hydrated gelatin into it and cool it.
4. Fold the whipped cream into the base.
5. If casting the mousse into a mold, do so immediately before it continues to cool and set.

There you have it!

Other than having a game plan to make sure things are made and assembled in the right order, you’ll need a few special pieces of equipment to make exactly what I have today. I’m using a flexible silicone dome mold. Two of them, in fact. This recipe is formulated in quantity to use a 50mm and 85mm dome mold. You’ll need round cutters too. I like to cast my mousse on a half sheet of plexi glass because it doesn’t flex or bend, but you don’t really need this, just a flat sheet pan.

Just a quick note on a few of the ingredients I use. Be sure to get dessicated (dried) unsweetened coconut with a fine texture just like this stuff and not the standard sweetened variety. I also call for lemon oil, like this. If you can’t find it, a high quality lemon extract can work as well, but beware that the cheaper the oil, the more artificial and chemical the flavor.

lemon pavlova petit gateau

coconut dacquoise

225g egg whites
75g sugar
36g almond flour
182g powdered sugar
150g dessicated coconut

Prep a half sheet pan, lining it with a half silpat or a half sheet of parchment paper (if using parchment paper, adhere it to the sheet pan with baking spray).

Combine the almond flour and powdered sugar and pulse it in a food processor until its homogenized.

Combine the egg whites and sugar and whip them to stiff peaks in a stand mixer with a whip attachment. The best way to do that for this recipe is half of the sugar added to the egg whites in the beginning, whisking on medium speed. Once all of the liquid albumen has worked into a froth, add the second half of sugar and increase the whisking speed to high, whipping until stiff peaks.

At this stage you’re ready to add the second half of sugar.

Fold in the almond flour/powdered sugar mixture and the dessicated coconut.

Spread the batter onto the half sheet and bake it at 380F/176C for 15-20min.

Let the dacquoise cool and cut out disks with a 2.1″/55m round cutter. Consolidate the disks and reserve in the freezer.

lemon mousse

100g whole milk
85g heavy cream A
8g lemon oil
80g sugar
115g egg yolk
8g gelatin
280g heavy cream B
10g lemon juice
5g lemon zest

Hydrate the gelatin in cold water for a minimum of 5min. and reserve to use later.

Whip the heavy cream B to soft peaks in a stand mixer with a whip attachment and reserve to use later in the refrigerator.

Combine the whole milk and heavy cream A and bring it to a simmer.

Combine the egg yolks and sugar and temper them into the hot milk mixture.

Create a creme anglaise by cooking the mixture over medium-low to medium heat (depending on how quickly and efficiently you whisk), whisking continuously, to 185F/85C.

Squeeze out the excess water from the gelatin and add it to the anglaise, whisking it well to fully melt the gelatin and homogenize the mixture.

Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl over an ice bath, whisking to cool the mixture to 86F/30C.

Fold in the 1/2 of the whipped cream, lemon juice, lemon zest and lemon oil.

To ensure thorough mixing of all of the mousse ingredients, transfer the contents back into the mixing bowl with the whipped cream and fold everything together.

Transfer the mousse to a piping bag and fill the 55mm ½ full. Reserve the mold in the freezer.

lemon cream

150g sugar
162g whole eggs
140g egg yolks
245g lemon juice
70g butter unsalted

Bring the lemon juice to a simmer in a sauce pot over medium heat.

While the lemon juice is heating, combine the sugar, whole eggs and egg yolks, whisking until homogenized.

Temper the hot lemon juice and egg mixture and cook over medium heat, while whisking, to 185F/82C.

Remove the curd from the heat and whisk rapidly to cool it for about 1min.

Add the butter to your curd and hand blend.

Transfer the curd to a piping bag and pipe it over the frozen lemon mousse.

I overfilled the cavities and then struck them clean with an offset spatula to make sure they’re flush with the top of the mold.

Freeze the domes completely, then unmold, consolidate and reserve in the freezer to use later.

coconut mousse

394g heavy cream
127g whole milk
107g coconut milk
6g vanilla extract
98g sugar
142g egg yolks
12g gelatin

Hydrate the gelatin in cold water for a minimum of 5min. and reserve to use later.

Whip the heavy cream to soft peaks in a stand mixer with a whip attachment and reserve to use later in the refrigerator.

Combine the whole milk and coconut milk and bring it to a simmer.

Combine the egg yolks and sugar and temper them into the hot milk mixture.

Cook the mixture over medium-low to medium heat whisking continuously, to 185F/85C.

Squeeze out the excess water from the gelatin and add it to the coconut anglaise, whisking it well to fully melt the gelatin and homogenize the mixture.

Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl over an ice bath, whisking to cool the mixture to 86F/30C.

Fold in the whipped cream in two additions. Again, after combining the first addition of whipped cream with the anglaise, I transfer everything into the mixing bowl with the remaining whipped cream to finish the mousse.

Transfer the mousse to a piping bag and pipe the coconut mousse into the 85mm dome molds, ½ full.

Place the frozen lemon mousse domes into the center of the larger dome molds, with the lemon curd facing up. Press gently to until the lemon dome insert and coconut mousse are flush with one another.

Place the disks of coconut dacquoise onto the lemon curd and coconut mousse, crust side facing down, pressing gently to adhere.

Freeze the the domes, then unmold, consolidate and reserve in the freezer.

baked meringue

160g egg whites
.5g salt
215g sugar
6g vanilla extract
107g powdered sugar
AN dessicated coconut

Prep the large dome mold by lightly spraying the inverted side of the mold with pan spray and placing it on a half sheet pan.

Combine the egg whites, sugar and salt and whip them to stiff peaks in a stand mixer with a whip attachment. Add half the sugar to the egg whites in the beginning, whisking on medium speed.

When the egg whites are fully foamed with no liquid albumen left, add the remaining sugar and increase the whipping speed to high.

Whisk the egg whites to very stiff peaks.

Sift the powdered sugar and fold it into the meringue.

Transfer the meringue to a piping bag with a 9mm piping tip and pipe the meringue from the base up in a spiral pattern.

Top the meringue with a dessicated coconut.

Bake the meringue in the oven at 180F/82C for 3-4hrs or until fully dried out.

Let the meringue cool and gently peel them from the dome mold.

Let the mousse domes defrost and place the baked domes over them to serve.

Cheers – Chef Scott

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lemon pavlova petit gateau

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Ingredients

coconut dacquoise

• 225 g egg whites
• 75 g sugar
• 36 g almond flour
• 182 g powdered sugar
• 150 g dessicated coconut

lemon mousse

• 100 g whole milk
• 85 g heavy cream A
• 8 g lemon extract
• 80 g sugar
• 115 g egg yolks
• 8 g gelatin 160 bloom
• 280 g heavy cream B
• 10 g lemon juice
• 5 g lemon zest

lemon cream

• 150 g sugar
• 162 g whole eggs
• 140 g egg yolks
• 245 g lemon juice
• 70 g butter unsalted

coconut mousse

• 394 g heavy cream
• 127 g whole milk
• 107 g coconut milk
• 6 g vanilla extract
• 98 g sugar
• 142 g egg yolks
• 12 g gelatin 160 bloom

baked meringue

• 160 g egg whites
• .5 g salt
• 215 g sugar
• 6 g vanilla extract
• 107 g powdered sugar
• AN dessicated coconut

Servings:

Units:MetricUS Imperial

Instructions

coconut dacquoise

1. Line a half sheet pan with a half silpat or a half sheet of parchment paper (if using the parchment paper, adhere it to the sheet pan with baking spray).
2. Combine the almond flour and powdered sugar and pulse it in a food processor until its homogenized.
3. Combine the egg whites and 1/2 the sugar and whip them in a stand mixer with a whip attachment on medium speed until frothy.
4. Add the remaining sugar to the egg whites and whip on high speed to stiff peaks.
5. Fold in the almond flour/powdered sugar mixture and the dessicated coconut.
6. Spread the batter onto the half sheet and bake it at 380F/176C for 15-20min.
7. Let the dacquoise cool and cut out disks with a 2.1"/55m round cutter. Consolidate the disks and reserve in the freezer.

lemon mousse

1. Hydrate the gelatin in cold water for a minimum of 5min. and reserve to use later.
2. Whip the heavy cream B to soft peaks in a stand mixer with a whip attachment and reserve to use later in the refrigerator.
3. Combine the whole milk and heavy cream A and bring it to a simmer.
4. Combine the egg yolks and sugar and temper them into the hot milk mixture.
5. Create a creme anglaise by cooking the mixture over medium-low to medium heat (depending on how quickly and efficiently you whisk), whisking continuously, to 185F/85C.
6. Squeeze out the excess water from the gelatin and add it to the anglaise, whisking it well to fully melt the gelatin and homogenize the mixture.
7. Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl over an ice bath, whisking to cool the mixture to 86F/30C.
8. Fold in the whipped cream, lemon juice, lemon zest and lemon oil.
9. Transfer the mousse to a piping bag and fill the 55mm ½ full. Reserve the mold in the freezer.

lemon cream

1. Bring the lemon juice to a simmer in a sauce pot over medium heat.
2. While the lemon juice is heating, combine the sugar, whole eggs and egg yolks, whisking until homogenized.
3. Temper the hot lemon juice and egg mixture and cook over medium heat, while whisking, to 185F/82C.
4. Remove the curd from the heat and whisk rapidly to cool it for about 1min.
5. Add the butter to your curd and hand blend.
6. Transfer the curd to a piping bag and pipe it over the frozen lemon mousse.
7. Freeze the domes completely, then unmold, consolidate and reserve in the freezer to use later.

coconut mousse

1. Hydrate the gelatin in cold water for a minimum of 5min. and reserve to use later.
2. Whip the heavy cream to soft peaks in a stand mixer with a whip attachment and reserve to use later in the refrigerator.
3. Combine the whole milk and coconut milk and bring it to a simmer.
4. Combine the egg yolks and sugar and temper them into the hot milk mixture.
5. Cook the mixture over medium-low to medium heat whisking continuously, to 185F/85C.
6. Squeeze out the excess water from the gelatin and add it to the coconut anglaise, whisking it well to fully melt the gelatin and homogenize the mixture.
7. Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl over an ice bath, whisking to cool the mixture to 86F/30C.
8. Fold in the whipped cream.
9. Transfer the mousse to a piping bag and pipe the coconut mousse into the 85mm dome molds, ½ full.
10. Place the frozen lemon mousse domes into the center of the larger dome molds, with the lemon curd facing up. Press gently to until the lemon dome insert and coconut mousse are flush with one another.
11. Place the disks of coconut dacquoise onto the lemon curd and coconut mousse, crust side facing down, pressing gently to adhere.
12. Freeze the the domes, then unmold, consolidate and reserve in the freezer.

baked meringue

1. Prep the large dome mold by lightly spraying the inverted side of the mold with pan spray and placing it on a half sheet pan.
2. Combine the egg whites, sugar and salt and whip them to stiff peaks in a stand mixer with a whip attachment. Add half the sugar to the egg whites in the beginning, whisking on medium speed.
3. When the egg whites are fully foamed with no liquid albumen left, add the remaining sugar and increase the whipping speed to high.
4. Whisk the egg whites to very stiff peaks.
5. Sift the powdered sugar and fold it into the meringue.
6. Transfer the meringue to a piping bag with a 9mm piping tip.
7. Pipe the meringue from the base up in a spiral pattern.
8. Bake the meringue in the oven at 180F/82C for 3-4hrs or until fully dried out.
9. Let the meringue cool and gently peel them from the dome mold.
10. Let the mousse domes defrost and place the baked domes over them to serve.

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