Pavlova -

Pavlova

Ingredients

4 egg whites
¼ teaspoon salt
8 oz caster sugar
4 teaspoons cornflour
2 teaspoons vinegar
½ teaspoon vanilla essence
½ pint double cream
A selection of fresh fruit, or canned fruit salad

9-inch diameter shallow oven-proof dish

Method

Set the oven at 275°F or gas mark 1. Beat the egg whites and salt with a rotary whisk or electric mixer until stiff. Add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking until very stiff, then beat in the cornflour, vinegar and vanilla. Butter a shallow ovenproof dish, fill with the meringue mixture; hollow out the centre somewhat.

Bake for 1¼ hours in the slow pre-set oven. When cool fill with sweetened and flavoured cream and fresh fruit. 

Note:- in Australia this is served filled with a little fresh whipped cream and a lot of tropical fruit: banana, mixed with passion fruit and sometimes fresh pineapple or pawpaw. We increase the quantity of cream to ½ pint. To give the same authentic flavour, tropical fruit salad (canned in Australia) could be served separately.

Related food category:

• Meringue