The one thing I totally miss about December in Melbourne is the amazing pavlova my cousin-in-law, Tony, makes. He knows I hate passion fruit so I get a version with strawberries and blueberries and loads of cream. Feeling sorry for me, a friend made me some during thesis chapter hibernation. I’m almost embarrassed to admit I finished it in 24 hours!

Ingredients:

4 large egg whites at room temperature
1 cup of Castor sugar
1 tsp of white vinegar
1/2 tsp of pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup of whipping cream
Fresh fruit such as strawberries, raspberries, kiwi fruit, passionfruit, bananas, blueberries
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 140 degrees Celsius and place the rack in middle of the oven.
Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer on medium speed or you will get major arm fatigue until the whites form soft peaks.
Gently sprinkle the sugar in a spoonful at a time and keep whipping until whites make glossy stiff peaks.
Sprinkle the vinegar and fold in gently with a plastic spatula. Add the vanilla and gently fold the mixture again.
Spread the meringue in a circle on the foil to make a circle leaving a slight well in the middle and bake for an hour until peaks are pale eggshell coloured.

Leave to cool in the oven with the door open.

Whip the cream with the vanilla extract until it forms peaks.

Before serving, spread cream using a spatula and arrange the fruit you’ve decided to use on top. Eat!

Kiss kiss,
Bubbles