It’s summertime in the southern hemisphere, so Aussies fire up their barbecues for Christmas. Steaks, chicken, prawns, lobster, crayfish, ham and turkey are prepared for the dinner.
And the crown of the feast is pavlova – a crisp meringue and soft marshmallowy centre topped with juicy fruits.
What you need for a pavlova
For the Pavlova Meringue
• 6 egg whites
• 1 ¾ cup caster sugar
• 1 heaped tsp corn flour
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
For the Whipped Cream
• 400 g thickened cream
• ⅓ cup caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
Optional Toppings
• Strawberries
• Kiwi
• Banana
• Passionfruit
Instructions
First, preheat your oven to 150˚C and line your tray with baking paper.
Use an electric beater to beat the egg white in a clean, dry bowl until firm peaks form. Gradually add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating constantly, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is thick and glossy. Beat in the cornflour, vinegar and vanilla essence.
Spoon the meringue mixture onto the disc and use a flat-bladed knife to shape the meringue and make furrows. Bake in oven for 10 minutes.
Reduce oven temperature to 110°C. Bake for a further 1 hour or until the meringue is crisp and dry. Turn oven off. Leave meringue in oven, with the door closed, to cool completely.
Use a balloon whisk to whisk the cream in a bowl until firm peaks form. Spread the cream over the top of the pavlova. Top with mango and banana. Drizzle over passionfruit pulp.
And enjoy!
