Strawberry Pavlova RECIPE

The perfect dessert for Valentine’s Day!
Serves 4 so you’ll have plenty of leftovers.

INGREDIENTS

Meringue

3 egg whites

1 tsp lemon juice

¼ tsp cream of tartar

150g castor sugar

½ tsp cornflour

Roasted strawberry

1 cup frozen strawberries

½ cup castor sugar

1 star anise

Strawberry coulis

1 cup frozen strawberries

1 cup castor sugar

Strawberry compote

1 punnet fresh diced strawberries

2 tbs of strawberry coulis

1 tsp vincotto

Mascarpone cream

250 ml whipping cream

4 tbs icing sugar

2 tbs mascarpone cheese


METHOD

MERINGUE

  1. Place egg whites, lemon juice and cream of tartar in a stand mixer and mix on medium speed until whites start to become fluffy

  2. Mix the corn flour and castor sugar

  3. Turn speed up to 75% and add the castor sugar mix 1 tbsp add a time until all mixed and stiff peaks

  4. Turn speed down to 25% to ensure all sugar is incorporated

  5. Pipe 4 mounds onto a greaseproof lined tray and using a spoon make a small well in the center

  6. Bake for 50 minutes on 120, reduce heat to 90 and bake for another hour. Turn oven off, open door and allow to cool completely

ROASTED STRAWBERRY

  1. In a small oven proof dish baking dish add the strawberries, sugar and star anise. Bake on 200 deg stirring every 10 minutes until all collapsed and broken down

STRAWBERRY COULIS

  1. Bring berries and sugar to the boil

  2. Skim and reduce heat

  3. Cook for 20 minutes until collapsed

  4. Pour into a fine mesh sieve and press all of the ingredients through

  5. Discard what remains or fold through the roasted strawberries


STRAWBERRY COMPOTE

  1. Dice strawberries nice and fine and dress with coulis

MASCARPONE CREAM

  1. Whip cream in a stand mixer on 75% speed adding icing sugar 1 tsp at a time

  2. When cream is almost whipped add the mascarpone and finish whipping (be careful not to over whip)

BUILD

  1. Place a meringue on the plate

  2. Add a healthy amount of mascarpone cream

  3. Top with roasted strawberry mix

  4. Add dressed fresh strawberries

  5. Drizzle vincotto over the top.

  6. Garnish with fresh basil