Pavlova

Ingredients

For the meringue

• egg whites — 4
• sugar — 200 g
• lemon juice — 1 tbsp
• salt — a pinch
• cornflour — 10 g

For the cream

• double cream 33–35% — 500 ml
• cream cheese — 400 g
• icing sugar — 70 g

To finish

• lemon curd
• fresh berries and mint

Method

1. In a clean, dry bowl, beat the egg whites with the lemon juice and a pinch of salt with a mixer until foamy.
2. Add the sugar in stages and beat to a thick, white meringue. With a hand mixer this takes about 10–15 minutes. Add the cornflour and fold until smooth.
3. Line a baking tray with paper or a silicone mat and pipe the meringues. Without a piping bag, spoon them out and make a hollow in each.
4. Dry them in an oven preheated to 100°C for 1.5–2 hours.
5. Meanwhile make the cream. Whip the chilled cream in a clean, dry bowl until thick.
6. Add the cream cheese and beat until smooth, then add the icing sugar and fold it in.
7. Let the meringues cool a little, then add lemon curd, cream, more curd, and decorate with berries and mint. Keep refrigerated.

Tips

• A good mixer is needed: the whites have to be beaten for 10–15 minutes. A hand whisk or a blender will not do.
• Baking time for the meringue varies from oven to oven.
• The cream and the cream cheese should both be chilled.
• The cream must not be runny, otherwise the meringue goes soggy.