Pavlova cake with berries & cream

Method

• step 1

  Heat oven to 120C/100C fan/gas ½. Draw three circles, 20cm, 16cm and 12cm on baking parchment (a compass is really good for this). Flip the paper onto baking sheets, so the pen is underneath.

• step 2

  Whisk whites until stiff peaks form on the ends of the electric whisk. Tip in a quarter of the sugar, whisk back to stiff, then repeat once adding the cornflour and vinegar, before folding in remaining sugar. Spoon the mixture into the circles, shaping to fill, smoothing the centre but leaving the edges rough. Bake for 30 mins then turn down to 100C/80C fan/gas ¼ and cook for 1½ hrs more – they will peel away from the parchment when done. Cool in oven with the door slightly ajar. Meringues will keep for 2 weeks in an airtight container.

• step 3

  Whip cream with the icing sugar and vanilla, drop in the berries and fold just once or twice. Chill for up to 24 hrs until ready to assemble – the Pavlovas are best assembled no more than 1 hr before serving.

• step 4

  Peel the meringues completely from paper and stack on a serving plate, layering with cream. Arrange a few more berries on top, then dust with icing sugar.