Mary Berry's Strawberry Pavlova
Easy and delicious! A top favourite with all ages. Traditionally the inside of the meringue is soft and marshmallow-like and the outside is crisp. Don't worry if the pavlova cracks on the top - this is all part of its charm.
Ingredients
- 4 egg whites
- 225 g (8 oz) caster sugar
- 2 level teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
- 300 mL (1/2 pint or 1 cup) whipping cream
- about 350 g (12 oz) strawberries
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Lay a sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet and trace a 23 cm (9 inch) circle on it.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the egg whites on high until stiff and cloud-like. While whisking, add the sugar a teaspoonful at a time, whisking well after each addition. Meringue should become white and glossy. Mix together the vinegar and cornstarch, then whisk into the meringue mixture.
- Spread the meringue out to cover the circle on the baking sheet, building up the sides so that they are a bit higher than the middle.
- Place in the preheated oven and immediately turn down the heat to 300°F (150°C). Bake for 1 hour until the outside is firm to the touch and a pale beige. Turn off the oven and allow the pavlova to fully cool inside the oven.
- While the pavlova is baking and cooling, rinse, stem and halve or slice the strawberries. Set aside.
- Remove the pavlova from the oven and transfer to a plate.
- Whip the cream until soft peaks form.
- To assemble, top the pavlova with the whipped cream and then the strawberries. Chill in the fridge for 1 hour before serving.
Notes
- Caster sugar is a finer grain than regular granulated sugar. You can emulate caster sugar by blending granulated sugar in a food processor until fine.
- In Britain, cornstarch is referred to as corn flour.
- You can substitute apple cider vinegar for the white wine vinegar.
- You can change out the fruit for whatever you fancy!