PAVOLOVA WITH SUMMER FRUITS

 

Serves 6

Preparation Time: about 30 mins

Cooking Time:  1 hour and then time to cool completely

 

Ingredients

For the meringue
4 egg whites
250g caster sugar
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp cornflour
1 tsp vanilla extract

Small pack of hazlenuts, partially crushed

For the topping
500g strawberries, hulled and halved
200g redcurrants, stalks removed

200g white currants
3 tbsp icing sugar
350ml double cream

 

Nasturtium flowers, or any other edible flowers to garnish

 

 

 

 

AND THIS IS WHAT YOU DO.....

 

1.  Heat oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2.

2.  Using a pencil, mark out the circumference of a dinner plate on baking parchment.

3.  Whisk the egg whites with a hand mixer until they form stiff peaks, then whisk in the sugar, 1 tbsp at a time, until the meringue looks glossy.

4.  Whisk in the vinegar, cornflour and vanilla.

 

5.  Fold in the crushed hazlenuts.

6.  Spread the meringue inside the circle, creating a crater by making the sides a little higher than the middle.

7.  Bake for 1 hr, then turn off the heat and let the Pavlova cool completely inside the oven.

8.  When the meringue is cool, you can then start preparing the fruit.  Chop 100g of the strawberries. Mix them with half the redcurrants and 2 tbsp icing sugar. Place in a food processor, blitz until smooth, then push the fruit mixture through a sieve and set aside.

 

9.  Whip the cream with the remaining icing sugar and spread it over the meringue.

 

10.  Arrange the remaining fruit on top of the cream and finally pour the sauce over the whole lot.

 

11.  Finally, you can garnish with edible flowers for special occasions.