Strawberry Pavlova Print E-mail
Written by Margaret Foss, 2009   
3 egg whites
175g (6oz) caster sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla essence
1/2 tsp lemon juice or wine vinegar
2 tsp cornflour

For the filling choose:
425ml half-fat crème fraiche OR
425ml Greek yoghurt OR
natural fromage frais (not low fat)

For the topping:
500g (1lb 2oz) strawberries, halved or sliced if large

1. Ensure your mixing bowl and whisks are free from grease by washing in very hot soapy water and drying on a clean tea towel, this will help produce a good meringue mixture.

2. Grease a baking sheet and cover with a sheet of baking parchment (or use greaseproof paper and grease the top of it). If it helps, draw a circle 20cm (8in) in diameter on the paper.

3. Pre-heat the oven to 150(C/300(F/gas mark 2.

4. Place the egg whites in the bowl and whisk until they are very stiff and the mixture holds firm peaks when the whisk is taken out.

5. Add the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking well between each addition.

6. Carefully fold in the essence, vinegar and cornflour.

7. Spoon the meringue on to the lined baking sheet to form a 20cm (8in) circle, piling the mixture up around the edge to form a shell.

8. Bake for an hour until the meringue is a pale biscuit colour with a crisp outside and a marshmallow texture inside. Leave it to cool on the baking sheet.

9. Remove the paper when cold. A Pavlova meringue usually cracks a little as it cools. At this stage it may be stored for 2-3 days in an airtight container.

10. Place the Pavlova on a flat serving dish. Fill with your choice of filling and pile the strawberries on top.

Serves 8
 
[ Back ]