Fantasy Pavlova

By á-48807

Pavlova is always a fantasy dessert, worth the long cook time to make. Serve with berry compote, fresh berries and some fresh whipped cream on top.

Ingredients

• TOPPING:
• 6 egg whites, room temperature
• Pinch salt
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons cornflour
• 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
• 1 cup berry compote made from 3 pints fresh mixed berries, eg: raspberries, blueberries and hulled and halved strawberries

Preparation

Step 1

To make a pavlova you really need an electric beater and egg whites that are not too fresh. If they are fresh, the pavlova will weep.

Heat the oven to 350F. Line a baking tray with baking paper and mark a circle about 6 inches in diameter with a plate.

Place the egg whites into the clean bowl of an electric beater. Add the salt and beat until stiff. Slowly add the sugar with the beater running. Beat for about 10 minutes at high speed until the meringue is thick and glossy – it should be thick enough not to fall from the beater.

Last of all, whisk in the cornflour and vinegar. Use a big spoon to drop dollops of meringue into the circled area of baking paper. Form into a circle of meringue, making swirls with the spoon on the top rather than flattening to a neat tidy disc.

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 5 minutes then reduce oven temperature to 250 degrees F. and cook a further hour. Turn off oven and leave pavlova to cool in the oven.

Pavlova can be cooked a couple of days ahead and stored in an airtight container, or frozen.

To serve, spoon Berry Compote over pavlova and scatter over mixed berries.