Recipes

Mini pavlovas with pastry cream, strawberries and kiwifruit

Preparation time:: 45 mins

Cooking time:: 45 mins

Serves:: 4

Ingredients

200ml thickened cream
165ml milk
2 egg yolks
80g caster sugar
3 tsp cornflour
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 punnet strawberries, sliced
2 kiwifruit, sliced

Whipped cream, to serve

Meringues
2 large egg whites, at room temperature
110g caster sugar
1 tsp cornflour
1/2 tsp white vinegar

Method

1. Stir cream and milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat until hot. Using an electric mixer, whisk egg yolks and sugar in a medium bowl until thick and creamy. Beat in cornflour, then gradually beat in hot cream mixture. Return mixture to saucepan and stir over medium heat for 2-3 minutes or until mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla extract. Strain into a bowl, then cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until cold.

2. To make meringues, preheat oven to 150C. Line an oven tray with baking paper. Trace four 10cm circles onto paper.

3. Beat egg whites in a bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, beating well after each addition to ensure sugar is dissolved and mixture is thick and glossy. Fold in cornflour and vinegar.

4. Spoon meringue into four mounds on prepared tray, using circles as a guide. Make a small well in each mound.

5. Bake for 35 minutes or until pavlovas look crisp and start to crack. Leave meringues in oven for 1 hour, with door slightly ajar, to cool completely.

6. Top meringues with pastry cream and fruit. Serve with whipped cream.

Notes

Tips

- We used a teacup as a mould for our meringues, to give them a more definitive shape.
- Store any leftover pastry cream, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Use to fill tart cases, sponge cakes or profiteroles.

- You can use any combination of fruit to top these meringue nests – try raspberries and peaches or bananas and blueberries.

Recipe by Team Simon and Meg