Christmas Pavlova Recipe

Ingredients

• 6 large egg whites (room temperature)
• 300 g caster sugar (superfine)
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice or white vinegar
• 1 tsp cornflour (corn starch)
• 360 ml double cream (heavy cream)
• 30 g powdered icing sugar (confectioners’ sugar)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 100 g white chocolate (optional), melted
• 70 g fresh red currants
• 130 g fresh raspberries
• 100 g fresh figs, quartered
• raspberry coulis (optional)

Instructions

1. 1

   --- Make the Meringue ---

2. 2

   Prep the oven and trays. Heat your oven to 140°C (280°F). Line a baking tray with parchment paper and trace a circle 30cm (12in) in diameter. Then draw an inner circle 10cm (4in) in diameter. Use bowls as guides if necessary. Turn the parchment paper over so that the pen/pencil line is underneath.

3. 3

   Whisk the egg whites to a soft peak. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip your egg whites on medium-low speed for 3 minutes until they are soft peaks.

4. 4

   Add the sugar gradually. Turn the mixer up to low speed, and whilst whisking, add the caster sugar one spoonful at a time. (In between each spoon, whisk for 10 seconds before adding the next spoonful). Once all the sugar is added, continue whisking at high speed for 5 more minutes.

5. 5

   Add in lemon juice and cornflour and whip until glossy. Then add the lemon juice and cornflour and whisk for another 5 minutes. By now, the egg white mixture should be thick and glossy, and the sugar should be fully incorporated. If you rub a bit of mixture between your thumb and finger, there should be no grit as the sugar has fully blended; if there is, then continuing whipping for a couple more minutes.

6. 6

   Spoon meringue onto the tray and bake. Spoon the meringue mixture onto your prepared tray between the two pre-drawn circles. Shape the meringue with the back of a spoon and create a small indent for the cream to sit into.Bake. Place the baking tray in the centre of the oven and immediately reduce the oven temperature to 110°C (230°F) and bake for 2 hours. Then turn the temperature off and leave it in the oven for a minimum of 2 hours (preferably overnight) to cool completely. Don't open the oven door!

7. 7

   --- Make the Sweetened Whipped Cream ---

8. 8

   Whip the cream. Add the cream, powdered icing sugar and vanilla extract into a bowl and whip until firm peaks

9. 9

   --- Assemble and Decorate ---

10. 10

    Brush on white chocolate (if using). With a pastry brush, very gently brush the melted chocolate over the top of the meringue and let it cool until hard.Decorate. Spoon the whipped cream into the indents of the meringue wreath all the way around. Drizzle with raspberry coulis if using, and decorate with redcurrants, raspberries and figs.