Pavlova

Ingredients

Pavlova

• 150g egg whites, at room temperature 

• 220g caster sugar 

• 2 tsp white vinegar

• 1 tsp vanilla extract  

• 2 tsp corn starch 

Lemon curd cream

• 400ml thickened cream

• 1/2 cup homemade lemon curd - recipe on my website

Extra

• 1/2 cup homemade lemon curd

• Rose petals

Method

1. Preheat fan forced oven to 100°C. Add the egg whites to the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk on low until foamy, then increase to medium until soft peaks form. 

2. Add the caster sugar 1 tbsp at a time. Increase speed to high and whisk for 8 minutes, or until stiff peaks form and there are no grains of sugar dispersed in the mixture. Test this by rubbing some of the meringue between your thumb and index finger. 

3. Now add the vinegar and vanilla. Mix for a further 10 seconds until just combined. 

4. Add the corn flour and fold into the egg whites with a large metal spoon. 

5. Line a baking tray with baking paper, using some of the meringue as glue to stick down. Pile the meringue in the middle, then lightly and evenly distribute into a dome, about 15cm in diameter. Scope out a little from the middle, to create a shallow volcano cavity, then add back to the sides and evenly distribute. Once smooth, using a butter knife or small palette knife, glide up the surface and across the top of the pavlova on a slight angle for form a striped pattern. Clean up the cavity if necessary, then bake in the oven for 1 hour and 45 minutes. 

6. Turn the oven off, leaving the light on, and allow to cool completely with the door closed, minimum 4 hours. 

7. Beat the cream to soft peaks, then fold through the lemon curd. Gently pipe into the sides of the cavity, then top with a little more curd. Finish off with more cream, curd and rose petals. Serve immediately.