Fermentation, But Make It Dessert: This Apple Pie Pavlova Has a Tangy Twist
Fermentation isn’t just for pickles and hot sauce. In this playful dessert, classic apple pie flavors are transformed through sugar preservation — a technique that coaxes out natural juices while developing a subtle tang over time.
Granny Smith apples are tossed with warming spices, lemon and sugar, then left to slowly ferment into a jammy, syrup-rich filling layered with brightness and depth. The result is nostalgic but sharp — familiar apple pie reimagined with new complexity.
Paired with an aquafaba pavlova, crisp on the outside and marshmallow-soft inside, the dish finds balance in contrast. The airy merengue absorbs the spiced apple syrup, while tender fruit is layered high and finished with fresh berries and edible blossoms.
The resulting dish is equal parts comfort and surprise — and proof that fermentation has a place at the dessert table.
🍏 Curious about recreational baking classes at ICE? Watch the video below for a look at fruit dessert day:
Ingredients
Sugar-Preserved Apple Pie Filling
Yield: 1 quart jar
- 4 Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced small
- 4 cinnamon sticks
- 6 cloves
- 10 allspice berries
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 2 ¼ cups sugar, divided
Sugar-Preserved Apple Pie Aquafaba Pavlova
Yield: 4 pavlovas
- 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
To assemble:
- 1 cup sugar-preserved apple pie filling
- Fresh berries
- Edible blossoms
Directions
Sugar-Preserved Apple Pie Filling
- Combine first 5 ingredients plus 1 ¼ cups sugar in a bowl.
- Massage mixture until apples begin to release their juices. Let stand 5 minutes.
- Transfer mixture and any accumulated liquid to a sterilized quart-sized glass jar.
- Top with remaining 1 cup sugar.
- Seal the jar and attach an airlock.
- Ferment at room temperature 1 week, or until syrupy and fragrant.
Aquafaba Pavlova
- Preheat oven to 250°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Drain chickpeas and reserve the liquid. Simmer aquafaba over high heat until reduced from about 1 ½ cups to ½ cup, 5 to 10 minutes. Cool completely.
- Transfer cooled aquafaba to a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes.
- Add sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, beating continuously until mixture is thick and glossy.
- Add cream of tartar and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Fold in cinnamon.
- Divide the mixture into four mounds on the prepared baking sheet. Shape into ½-inch-thick rounds with a shallow well in the center.
- Bake for 60 to 90 minutes, until dry and firm to the touch.
- Cool completely on a wire rack.
- Spoon apple filling into the center of each pavlova. Top with fresh berries and edible blossoms before serving.
