Pavlova with Périgord walnuts

This recipe from Malo Tual, chef at Le Pétrocore in Périgueux, is taken from the special issue of Gault&Millau magazine, in which you can discover 109 chefs' recipes. These chefs have opened their own establishments over the last 18 months, and have shared their favorite recipes with us. Discover the ingredients and preparation steps to make it easy.

• Serves 4
• Preparation time: 40 min
• Cooking time : 2 h
• Resting time: 2 h

Ingredients for Malo Tual's walnut pavlova

• 25 cl crème fraîche liquide 30% min
• 235 g sugar
• 20 cl milk (or water)
• 150 g Périgord walnut kernels
• 125 g white chocolate
• 5 yellow lemons
• 1 sheet gelatin 200 bloom (or 0.8 g agar-agar)
• 2 egg whites
• 2 pinches salt

Steps for Malo Tual's walnut pavlova

1. Lemon gel: In a small saucepan, bring 10 cl lemon juice and 50 g sugar to the boil, then add the gelatin sheet previously softened in cold water. Whisk together and chill for at least 2 h. Once the jelly has set, blend with 5 cl lemon juice. Set aside in a cool place.
2. French meringues: Preheat oven to 120°C. Beat the egg whites until stiff. Gradually add 120 g sugar and a pinch of salt. Continue beating the egg whites for 2 min to dissolve the sugar. using a piping bag (or a freezer bag with one corner cut off), pipe long sticks onto a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Zest 2 lemons over the meringues. Bake for 1 h 30, leaving the oven door ajar at the end of baking until ready to serve.
3. Walnut cream: Bring the milk and 65 g sugar to the boil in a saucepan. Cover and cook 100 g walnuts for 30 min. drain the nuts and add the syrup to reach a total weight of 200 g. Blend at full speed for 5 min. Set aside in a cool place.
4. White chocolate and walnut whipped cream: Whip the crème fraîche until stiff, then add the white chocolate melted in a bain-marie (or in the microwave) and a pinch of salt at medium speed (note: this is the technical part of the recipe, so don't slice the whipped cream). Once incorporated, gently fold in the walnut cream using a spatula. Chill in a piping bag (or freezer bag).
5. Presentation: Place a large ball of white chocolate and walnut chantilly on a plate (using a teaspoon run under hot water), and form a small crater at the top. Place a knob of lemon gel in the crater. Place a few walnut pieces around the cream. Place lemon meringue sticks around the cream to create a teepee or Mikado.
   The "plus": To complete the presentation, sprinkle with roasted walnut powder and add a few edible flowers (in this case, pineapple sage flowers).

Has this recipe inspired you to discover Malo Tual's cuisine? Read the Gault&Millau review of Le Pétrocore.

This article is taken from 109, Le Sang Neuf de la gastronomie française. Find this special issue on newsstands or in our online store.