16 Dec Pavlova Wreath

There’s a lot of debate about whether this famous dessert’s origin is Australia or New Zealand. Either way, we love the pavlova for its crunchy, crisp exterior and its soft marshmallowy inside. It has everything a dessert should have, without being too heavy.

Serves: 8 to 10
Makes: One 30cm pavlova wreath

Ingredients
8 egg whites, at room temperature
600g caster (superfine) sugar
300ml Vanilla Whipped Cream, to decorate
750g mixed fresh berries

Method

Preheat the oven to 150°C. Line a large baking tray with baking paper. With a pencil, draw a large circle approximately 30cm in diameter, then draw a second circle measuring 10cm in the middle. Turn the paper pencil-side down on the tray.

Put the egg whites and sugar in a large bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water, and stir for about 5 to 7 minutes, until the sugar is dissolved. At this stage the mixture will be warm.

Pour the mixture into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whisk the egg white and sugar mixture until thick and the mixture has cooled, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.

Spoon onto the prepared tray and shape into a wreath using the circles as a guide. Turn the oven temperature down to 100°C and place the pavlova wreath in the oven.

Bake for 1 hour. Turn the oven off and leave the wreath in the oven to cool completely.

Top with lashings of vanilla whipped cream and copious amounts of mixed berries.

This recipe features in and is from The Cook and Baker by Cherie Bevan and Tass Tauroa, published by Murdoch Books, $49.99, available now in all good bookstores and online.