James Tanner shows us how to make an impressive summer pavlova made with the season's ripest berries.
Serves 6
Ingredients:
5 egg whites
A pinch of salt
250g caster sugar
2 tsp corn flour
1 tsp white wine vinegar
A pinch of cream of tartar
1 vanilla pod deseeded or a couple of drops of vanilla extract
320ml double cream
1 tsp icing sugar
25g bitter chocolate
Zest and juice of half a lime
400g mixed berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries)
1 tbsp chopped pistachios
6 fresh mint leaves
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 150C.
2. In a large clean bowl, or machine, whisk the egg whites and pinch of salt together until they double in size and form stiff peaks. Slowly add the sugar, a little at a time, continuing to whisk until the mixture goes stiff and glossy. Fold in the corn flour, white wine vinegar and cream of tartar.
3. On a lined baking sheet place the mix shaping into a large, round pavlova and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until it has a crisp coating and comes away from baking sheet without sticking.
4. Trim the stalks off the strawberries and cut into quarters and place into a bowl with the other mixed berries. Add a squeeze of lime juice and zest mix and set aside.
5. In another saucepan heat 70ml of the double cream and then add the bitter chocolate and whisk until fully melted (dont boil).
6. Whisk the remaining cream with the icing sugar and vanilla seeds to a soft peak.
7. To assemble the dish spread the whipped cream over the pavlova and scatter over the mixed berries. Finish with a drizzle of chocolate sauce and a scatter of chopped pistachios and mint leaves.