Pumpkin Chai Pavlova

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Pumpkin chai pavlova is the perfect dessert to whip up this fall. The crisp meringue nests are filled with a pumpkin chai custard and a pumpkin chai caramel, then topped with a pecan cookie crumble. 

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Pumpkin Chai Pavlova

Instead of your classic pumpkin spice, I decided to pair the squash with a slightly different spice blend. The chai mix from King Arthur Baking brings that cozy, spicy vibe you want in the fall, but it’s a little different from the regular spices paired with pumpkin.

If you prefer, feel free to swap out pumpkin spice for chai in every element of these pumpkin chai pavlova. It’ll be an equally delicious autumnal dessert.

Pecan Cookie Crumble

I’m slightly obsessed with this basic cookie crumble recipe. It’s an amazingly easy way to add texture to a recipe. It’s based off of the lemon cookie crumble I used on my lemon raspberry ripple snack cake.

The pecans add a lovely flavor and texture that compliments the pumpkin and chai perfectly. Once the crumble has cooled, store it in an air tight container until needed. You will end up with extra, so make these pecan streusel cookies with it! It also tastes delicious sprinkled on pumpkin pancakes.

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Pumpkin Chai Caramel

We’ll use a wet caramel to create a delicious pumpkin chai caramel. Caramel can be intimidating to make, but trust the process and try not to panic. My sugar looked like it was going to crystallize, but with a few shakes of the pot and a lot of patience, I ended up with gorgeously caramelized sugar.

It’s very important that the pumpkin and cream mixture is warm when you add it to the caramel. Otherwise, it could seize. If that happens, place the pot over low heat and stir until the caramel has melted and is smooth.

Pumpkin Chai Custard

Cooking the pumpkin puree helps evaporate the excess moisture and deepen the flavor of the squash. I didn’t do this, but you can also blitz the puree in a food processor for an even smoother custard. 

Be patient while you are bringing the custard up to temperature. It takes forever, but it’s important to keep the heat no higher than medium- low. Too high and your custard could curdle.

Related Reading: Pumpkin Pie Macarons

Tuile Leaves

I loooved the black cocoa tuile feathers I made for this tart, so I thought fall colored tuile leaves would be stunning. These are easy to make, but I actually preferred the black cocoa tuile’s texture.

In the end, I opted not to place the tuile on my pumpkin chai pavlova because I thought they looked better without it. However, since I went to the trouble of making them, I’m including them in the recipe so that you have options.

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Making Pavlova

This pavlova recipe is basically a French meringue with lemon juice, and cornstarch folded in which is what creates that marshmallowy center. I originally planned on adding chai to the meringue, but thought would be overkill.

To pipe the mini meringue nests, I used a closed star tip (sorry, mine are unlabeled). You can use any tip you’d like. In fact, next time, I think I might pipe plain blobs and use a spoon to create the indent. Watch the complete video tutorial for this pumpkin chai pavlova for all the visual cues!

Top Tips for Meringue

• Wipe your bowl and whisk with a bit of vinegar to remove any residual fat or grease.
• Separate your egg whites one at a time into a small bowl before adding them to your big bowl. This is to prevent any stray yolk from ruining the whole batch!
• Whip your eggs at a medium speed for longer to create a more stable meringue and minimize the risk of over whipping.
• Room temperature egg whites will whip up faster, but it’s best to separate the eggs while they’re cold.

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Layering the Fall Pavlova

Once the pavlova have cooled completely, fill them most of the way with pumpkin custard. Then pipe a thin layer of pumpkin chai caramel on top. Finish with a sprinkle of the pecan cookie crumble. If using them, add the tuile leaf at the end.

If your pumpkin chai caramel has been in the fridge for awhile, it is likely pretty firm. Just microwave it in short bursts until it is pipeable. The custard should be workable right out of the fridge.

Vision Change

My original plan for this fall pavlova was basically an excuse to make pretty leaf tuile in autumnal colors. I did, but it ended up not working visually with the rest of the pavlova and by that point, I was ready to let them go.

I also intended to top each pumpkin chai pavlova with a swirl of cheesecake whipped cream. Well, I whipped it up and once again decided that would not be necessary for these little desserts. Instead, I kept them simple.

Related Reading: Pavlova with Mixed Berries

Enjoy!

The crisp exterior of the pavlova nests with the marshmallowy center are filled with a rich pumpkin chai custard and pumpkin chai caramel. You’ll love the flavor and crunch the pecan crumble adds to each bite.

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Pumpkin Chai Pavlova

Meringue nests filled with pumpkin chai custard, pumpkin chai caramel, and topped with a pecan crumble.

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Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Brown Butter, Caramel, Chai, Custard, Fall, Meringue, Mini, Nuts, Pecan

Prep Time 2 hours hours

Cook Time 2 hours hours

Cooling Time 4 hours hours

Total Time 8 hours hours

Servings 10 servings

Author Colleen

Ingredients

Pecan Crumble

• 2 oz almond flour
• 2 oz sugar
• 2 oz all purpose flour
• 2 oz pecans chopped
• ½ tsp chai spice mix
• Pinch of salt
• 2 oz browned butter melted

Pumpkin Chai Caramel

• 3.5 oz sugar
• 1.5 oz water
• 1.5 oz unsalted butter
• 3 oz pumpkin puree
• 2 oz heavy cream
• ⅛ tsp chai spice mix
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ¼ tsp salt

Tuile Leaves (Optional)

• 1 oz unsalted butter softened
• 1 oz sugar
• 1 oz egg whites
• 1 oz all purpose flour
• Desired color

Pumpkin Chai Custard

• 3 oz pumpkin puree
• 8 fl oz whole milk
• 4 Tbsps brown sugar divided
• ½ tsp chai spice mix
• 1 oz cornstarch sifted
• 4 egg yolks
• ½ tsp vanilla
• 2 Tbsps unsalted butter

Mini Pavlovas

• 3 egg whites room temperature
• 6 oz sugar
• ¾ tsp lemon juice
• ¾ tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp cornstarch

Instructions

Pecan Crumble

• Preheat the oven to 350℉. Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.
• Combine the almond flour, sugar, all purpose flour, pecans, and chai in a bowl and whisk. Add the melted browned butter. With a hand mixer, beat on a low speed until combined and it forms small lumps.
• Spread the crumb mixture over the prepared baking sheet. Do not crowd the mixture together. Bake until the smaller crumbles are only just starting to turn a light golden brown, about 10- 12 minutes.
• Let the pecan crumble cool completely before storing on the counter in an air tight container.

Pumpkin Chai Caramel

• Combine the sugar and water in a super clean saucepan. Stir to make sure all of the sugar is hydrated. With a lid on, gradually increase the heat to medium. Let the sugar mixture cook with the lid on for 3- 5 minutes, but keep an eye on it.
• Meanwhile, cook the pumpkin puree in a separate saucepan over medium heat for 3- 5 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream and chai. Cover and reduce the heat to low, stirring occasionally to make sure nothing is burning. Now, get back to the caramel.
• Remove the lid from the sugar mixture. Cook without stirring until it is a deep amber color. Be patient and do not increase the heat above medium. If crystals begin to form on the edge of the pan, use a clean pastry brush dipped in water to remove them.
• Once a deep amber, remove the caramel from the heat and stir in the butter. Gradually whisk in the pumpkin cream. Then stir in the vanilla and salt.
• If desired, use an immersion blender to ensure a smooth caramel. Strain the caramel into a clean bowl. Store covered in the fridge until needed.

Tuile Leaves (Optional)

• Preheat the oven to 350℉.
• Use a spatula to combine the butter and sugar until smooth. Whisk in the egg white a little at a time until homogenous. Whisk in the flour. Add any color you'd like.
• Spread the paste into a tuile mold. Remove any excess. Place the mold on a baking sheet and bake for 5- 7 minutes.
• Immediately remove from the mold and shape as desired. Cool completely before using or storing.

Pumpkin Chai Custard

• Cook the pumpkin puree in a medium saucepan over medium heat for 3- 5 minutes. Add the milk, 3 tablespoons of the brown sugar, and chai to the puree. Heat over medium- low heat until the mixture is hot and just about to simmer.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, cornstarch, and remaining tablespoon of brown sugar until well combined.
• Temper the egg mixture by adding the hot milk one ladle at a time, whisking very well between each addition. Repeat until all of the milk mixture has been combined with the eggs.
• Transfer the egg and milk mixture back to the saucepan and heat over medium- low heat until thickened and 175℉. This will take time. Be patient and do not bump the heat up.
• Strain the thickened, but still hot, custard into a medium bowl. Stir in the vanilla and butter until the butter is completely melted and combined.
• Press cling wrap onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Let it sit on the counter for about an hour to cool slightly. Then transfer to the fridge and chill for at least 2 hours. You can also prep the custard a day in advance.

Mini Pavlovas

• Preheat the oven to 215°F. Draw 2 ½ inch circles on the back of a piece of parchment paper. Line baking sheet with the paper. Fit a 16 inch piping bag with a piping tip. I used a closed star tip. Set aside.
• Whip the egg whites to soft peaks. Gradually add sugar one spoonful at a time while you continue to whip the egg whites on a medium speed. Once all of the sugar has been added, bump the speed up to a medium- high speed and whip until you have stiff peaks.
• Gently fold in the lemon juice and vanilla with a thin spatula or metal spoon. Sift the cornstarch over the mixture and fold in carefully until combined.
• Fill your prepared piping bag with the meringue. Pipe your pavlovas onto your baking sheet with the parchment paper. Start in the center of the circle and pipe a swirl going outwards. When you are just shy of the edge of the circle template, bring the meringue up and pipe an edge so that they have space for the filling.
• Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Turn off the oven and allow the pavlovas to cool in the oven for 3- 4 hours.

Assembly

• Once the pavlova have had time to cool, remove them from the oven. Spoon or pipe pumpkin chai custard into the cavity. Spoon or pipe and thin layer of pumpkin chai caramel on top, then sprinkle with the pecan crumble.
• If desired, top with a tuile leaf right before serving.

Notes

• To brown butter, cook 3- 4 ounces of unsalted butter over medium heat until a nice amber color. Measure out the 2 ounces you will need. The brown bits are the best part! Be careful not to burn the butter.
• Pumpkin can be stringy. If desired, you can blitz the pumpkin puree before using for a smoother result.
• This makes more than you'll need to fill the pavlova.