Recipe

Summer berry pavlova

Australian family gatherings or celebrations wouldn't be complete without a pav, especially in the warmer months when all our favourite soft fruit is super-ripe and cheap. Or top with any fruit you like - banana, kiwifruit, mango or hulled cherries are all good alternatives.

Jul 29, 2014 2:00pm
  • 30 mins preparation
  • 1 hr 45 mins cooking
  • Serves 12
    • Print
    Print

Ingredients

Pavlova shell
  • half a lemon
  • 1 1/2 cup caster sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
  • 1 tablespoon cornflour, sieved
Summer berry topping
  • 500 gram strawberries, hulled and quartered
  • 250 gram blueberries
  • 290 gram raspberries
  • 1 tablespoon icing sugar, sieved
  • 600 millilitre double cream

Method

Summer berry pavlova
  • 1
    Preheat oven to 150°C (130°C fan-torced). Line baking tray with baking paper. Draw a 22cm circle on paper as a guide (an easy way to do this is to trace around a bowl), then turn paper over to stop the mixture from touching the ink - you should still be able to see the outline.
  • 2
    Rub the inside of an electric mixer bowl and whisk attachment with halved lemon - this helps stabilise the egg whites.
  • 3
    Place egg whites in mixer bowl and begin to whisk on medium to high speed. With mixer running, add sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, waiting for the first to dissolve before adding the next spoonful. Once all the sugar has been added, continue to whisk until smooth. (Rub a little of the mixture between two fingers - if you can still feel granules, then continue whisking until they are completely dissolved.)
  • 4
    Add vanilla and sieve cornflour over fluffy egg whites. Whisk until just combined.
  • 5
    Spoon mixture onto baking tray using pre-drawn circle as a guide. Smooth around side of mound to make it as flat as possible. Bake for 1 hour 45 mins. Turn oven off and allow pavlova to cool completely (leave door closed).
  • 6
    To prepare berry topping, place berries in a bowl and stir through icing sugar. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, stirring once. The berries will create their own syrup.
  • 7
    To serve, dollop double cream all over pavlova shell. Scatter with berries and drizzle with the syrup.

Notes

You can prepare the base of the pavlova a day ahead. Simply allow the shell to cool completely before covering and refrigerating overnight. Don't worry if the shell cracks and the interior sinks. The interior will become chewy and the crater s perfect to fill with the cream and berries.

The Latest from New Zealand Woman's Weekly Food