In this delightful dessert, a crunchy meringue base is generously filled with airy whipped cream and an assortment of fresh fruits. Its namesake is the renowned Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, who achieved stardom during the 1920s and embarked on tours in Australia and New Zealand. 'The Pav' has emerged as a beloved dessert, firmly ingrained in the culinary heritage of both nations.

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 large egg whites
• 350g caster sugar
• 5ml (1 tsp) white wine vinegar
• 5g (1 tsp) cornflour
• 600ml (20fl oz) double cream
• 5ml (1 tsp) vanilla bean paste
• 700g (1½lb) fruit of your choice
• Mint leaves, to decorate
• Icing sugar, for dusting

SERVES:

• 16

COOKS IN:

• Prep: 30 min
• Cooking: 60 min

DIFFICULTY:

• MEDIUM

METHOD:

• Preheat the oven to 160˚C/fan 140˚C/320˚F/gas 3.
• Line a baking sheet with a baking tray and draw a 30cm circle on it. Draw a 15cm circle in the centre of the 30cm circle.
• Place the egg whites in the K-Mojo DigiMaster mixing bowl. Attach the dual-beater attachment, then whisk until soft peaks form.
• Add the sugar a little at a time while whisking at maximum speed. The mixture should be stiff and glossy.
• In a cup, make a slurry with the cornflour and vinegar, then add to the egg whites.
• Spoon or pipe the meringue onto the ring drawn on the baking parchment.
• Carefully flatten the mixture so that cream and fruit can be placed on top later. Keep in mind that the meringue will expand in all directions in the oven.
• Slide the meringue into the oven and change the temperature immediately to 140˚C/fan 120˚C/280˚F/gas 1.
• Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. You can leave it overnight to dry out but it needs to be left alone for at least one hour, once it's been turned off.
• Whip the cream and vanilla paste until barely stiff peaks form when the whisk is removed.
• Spoon the cream onto the meringue then arrange the fruit on top.
• Finish off with mint leaves and a dusting of icing sugar.

TIP: Berries work especially well with Pavlova. You can use a mix like we did, such as strawberries, raspberries and blueberries. Tropical fruits such as kiwi and mango also work well.