Strawberry pavlova
■ Serves 6-8 ■ Prep 25 mins plus cooling ■ Cook 1 hr
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, or raspberries
3 tbsp icing sugar
350ml double cream
Heat the oven to 150C/130C fan/ gas 2. Using a pencil, mark out the circumference of a dinner plate on baking parchment. Beat the egg whites with an electric whisk until they form stiff peaks, then whisk in the sugar, 1 tbsp at a time, until the meringue looks glossy. Whisk in the vinegar, cornflour and vanilla. Spread the meringue inside the circle on the parchment, creating a crater by making the sides When the meringue is cool, mix 100g of the strawberries with half of the redcurrants and 2 tbsp icing sugar in a bowl. Tip into a food processor, blitz until smooth, then push the mixture through a sieve to make a smooth sauce. Whip the cream with the remaining icing sugar and spread it all over the meringue. Scatter the remaining fruit over the whipped cream and pour the sauce over the top before serving.
