Pavlova

This might just be one of my favourite desserts of all time and one of 2 or 3 desserts I ask for on my birthday when my mother asks the usual question, ‘What do you want for your birthday?’. This year it was the trusty Pavlova’s turn to be wheeled out. In this case, it was a ‘whopper’ made with 6 egg whites which makes a pavlova big enough to feed 8.

I really hope you try and enjoy this wonderful foodologist family recipe!!

Ingredients
6 egg whites
2 cups castor sugar
1 teaspoon cornflour
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

For cream
1 pint whipping cream
4-6 teaspoons icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

For topping:
1 punnet Sliced strawberries
1 Mango sliced
1 punnet fresh raspberries
1 punnet fresh blueberries
2 passion fruit
2 kiwi fruit sliced

Method
Using an electric mixer , whisk the egg whites until stiff. Slowly add the castor sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating to dissolve each teaspoon. Add the cornflour with the last spoon of sugar and finally fold in the vinegar and vanilla essence. Heat the oven to 120 degrees centigrade. On a piece of baking paper, draw a large circle, approximately 8 or 9 inches in diameter and sprinkle the paper with a little cornflour. Spread the meringue and shape with edges slightly higher than the centre (like a gooey pie case). Place in the oven for 1.5 to 2 hours until crisp and no signs of moisture on the outside. Turn off the oven and open the door to let it cool before removing the meringue case and then remove the paper.

For the filling, whip the cream and add the icing sugar and vanilla essence ensuring not to over whip the cream. Put cream into the shell and artfully arrange the cut fruit on top.