Cypriot Style Pavlova

INGREDIENTS

3 eggs
165g caster sugar
1 ½ teaspoons cornflour
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pinch ground cloves
1 teaspoon vinegar

300ml thickened cream
1 tablespoon rose water
Pomegranate seeds
Pistachios
Fresh mint
Orange zest

METHOD

Preheat your oven to 150C fan-forced. Line a baking tray with baking paper and draw around the base of a cake tin.

Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites in a bowl until you form soft peaks. Add the sugar a tablespoon at a time while whisking simultaneously. Whisk for about 10 minutes until the sugar has completely dissolved. You can check this by rubbing a little bit of the meringue in between your fingers. If you feel any sugar granules, continue whisking for a little longer. You should be left with a smooth, thick and glossy meringue.

Sift the cornflour, cinnamon and cloves, drizzle the vinegar and mix for another 5 to 10 seconds until combined.

Spoon the mixture onto the circle on the baking paper in the shape of a reef.

Bake on the bottom shelf for 5 minutes then reduce the oven to 100C fan-forced for 1 hour. Turn the heat off and leave the pavlova in the oven with the door slightly open using a wooden spoon and leave for at least 4 hours until completely cooled.

Once your pavlova is ready to serve, whisk the cream and rose water in a bowl until you’ve formed firm peaks. Gently spoon the cream over your pavlova and finish with pomegranate seeds, pistachios, orange zest and fresh mint in your own creative way.

Nik’s Tips
- Separate eggs while they are fridge cold but whisk and fluff them up at room temperature
- Not a drop of yolk must go into your pav. Bowls and whisk need to be clean, wipe with some vinegar on a paper towel before you start.
- Don’t go higher than 2 inches - greater risk of collapsing
- Bake low and long - keep white and stable