Video | Summer Berry Pavlova

This is the perfect desert to showcase all of the beautiful summer berries out there. The meringue requires some attention to detail and you should follow the recipe below carefully. But if you do that, you will have a real crowd pleaser that looks superb. It is the perfect end of any barbequeue or picnic.

You can also adapt it through autumn using blackberries and plums or even into winter using some lovely spiced stewed fruits. Enjoy!

Ingredients

For the meringue

• 4 egg whites
• 250g caster sugar
• 1 tsp white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp cornflour
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the topping

• 500g strawberries; hulled and halved
• 200g redcurrants, stalks removed
• 3 tbsp icing sugar
• 350ml double cream

Method

1. Heat oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2.
2. Using a pencil, mark out the circumference of a dinner plate on baking parchment.
3. Whisk the egg whites with a hand mixer until they form stiff peaks, then whisk in the sugar, 1 tbsp at a time, until the meringue looks glossy.
4. Whisk in the vinegar, cornflour and vanilla.
5. Spread the meringue inside the circle, creating a crater by making the sides a little higher than the middle.
6. Bake for 1 hr, then turn off the heat and let the Pavlova cool completely inside the oven.
7. When the meringue is cool, chop 100g of the strawberries. Mix them with half the redcurrants and 2 tbsp icing sugar.
8. Place in a food processor, blitz until smooth, then push the fruit mixture through a sieve.
9. Whip the cream with the remaining icing sugar and spread it over the meringue. Put the remaining fruit on the cream and finally pour the sauce over the whole lot.