Strawberry Marshmallow Pavlova

Hi folks BBC2 here. I hope you are enjoying life and it is being kind to you. It is too easy to let the grey and rainy days we are having effect your mood but, being an optimist I like to think that spring is just around the corner. When I go out with Max for his walk I need to wear the right clothes. Although that can be guesswork sometimes, like this morning the sun was shining but there was a chill in the air so I wrapped up in warm clothes only for it to start raining when we got to the beach, oh well that’s life.

A few weeks ago Liz, chief taster (self appointed), was over and I had made us a Pavlova for our pudding and I forgot to write it up and post it on our blog. I have never made a Pavlova before so I was keen to try. I had also decided to make this as I had a few egg whites frozen and that this would put them to good use. I think using frozen egg white gave it a more marshmallowy texture which is why I have said that you should use fresh egg whites so you get a more chewy texture but that’s up to you. I think this is a relatively cheap and impressive desert that packs a lot of flavour, I hope you give it a try and please do let us know what you think as we do look forward to your comments and feedback.

Ingredients:
3 large fresh egg whites
175g/6 oz caster sugar

For the topping
275ml/10fl oz whipping cream
350g/12 oz soft fruit like strawberries, raspberries or redcurrants
2 teaspoons icing sugar
2 teaspoons jam, strawberry if using but with no lumps of fruit

Lightly oiled baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper, draw a 20cm/8 inch circle on the underside of the paper
Preheat oven 150c/140c fan

Method:
Place the egg whites in a large clean bowl, the bowl must be grease free, so to ensure that wipe with kitchen towel dipped in vinegar, have the sugar measured and ready. Now whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks and you can turn the bowl upside down without them sliding out, be careful not to over beat the egg whites because they will start to collapse. When the egg whites are ready start to whisk in the sugar 25g/1 oz at a time until all the sugar is incorporated.

Now using a metal tablespoon, spoon the meringue onto the greaseproof paper in a disc shape within the drawn circle, and then take spoonfuls of the mixture in blobs around the edge of the meringue disc next to each other, creating a raised edge, using the back of the spoon or a metal skewer make little peaks on each blob. Then place the baking sheet in the oven straight away and turn the oven down to 140c/130c fan and cook for 1 hour and then turn the oven off but leave the Pavlova in the oven until it has gone cold, it is best done the night before so that you can leave the pavlova in the oven overnight to dry out.

Just before you are ready to serve the Pavlova, carefully peel off the greaseproof paper and place on the serving dish, melt the jam in a little hot water so that it has a runny consistency to glaze the fruit and set to one side, now add the icing sugar to the cream and whip until it just holds soft peaks and spread generously into the centre of the meringue, decorate with your sliced soft fruits and glaze with the jam.

BBC1: This was nice and ‘marsmallowy’ and the cream and strawberries were unctuous. I have read recipes where people add a teaspoon each of corn flour and white wine vinegar to the egg white mix after the sugar. This is what I think gives it it’s crunchy and chewy texture. Although am sure the frozen egg whites made a difference too! Maybe I’ll give it a go😘😘😘