SUMMER IN AUSTRALIA MEANS HOT DAYS, BALMY NIGHTS AND THE MOST BEAUTIFUL, FRESH SEASONAL FRUITS ARE IN ABUNDANCE. WE’VE TAKEN THE BEST OF QUEENSLAND’S SEASONAL FRUITS TO MAKE TREATS DESIGNED TO IMPRESS AT YOUR NEXT FESTIVE CELEBRATION.
Ingredients
* 6 x egg whites (room temperature)
* 1½ cups caster sugar
* 1½ tsp white vinegar
* 2 tsp cornflour
* 375ml pouring cream
* 1 x punnet strawberries (cut in half)
* 1/4 cp pomegranate seeds
* 2 x figs
* 4 sprigs mint
Method
1. Preheat oven to 150°C. Draw a 22-25cm circle on a sheet of baking paper and place on baking tray.
2. Put the egg whites into a clean and dry stainless steel mixing bowl or into electric mixer bowl and whisk on high speed until stiff peaks form.
3. Add the sugar 1T at a time, allowing 30 seconds between each addition. Scrape the bowl and whisk until stiff and glossy.
4. Place the cornflour and vinegar in a separate bowl and mix to combine. Add to the meringue and whisk for 2-minutes or until glossy and combined.
5. Place 12 heaped spoonfuls of the meringue mixture around the tray inside of the drawn circle to create a ring. Swirl slightly with back of a metal spoon.
6. Reduce the oven temperature to 120°C and bake for 1-hour or until crisp to the touch. Turn the oven off and allow the pavlova to cool completely in the oven with the door closed.
7. Whip the cream and spread generously over cooled meringue. Place the cut strawberries, pomegranate seeds, figs and mint leaves over pavlova to resemble a wreath.
8. Serve with ice-cream if desired.
