Pavlova with Lemon Cream and Blueberries

This simple dessert is easy to make and bit more special than your standard pav. Sharp tangy lemon curd is a delicious counterpoint to the sweet meringue and the lemon cream and blueberry combination is delicious.

Ingredients

• 4 egg whites – at room temperature
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 2 tsp cornflour
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• pinch of salt
• 300ml cream
• 1/3 cup lemon curd – use more or less to your taste
• 1-2 punnets of fresh blueberries

Method

Preheat the oven to 150ºC. Line a baking tray with non stick baking paper.
Beat the egg whites and salt until stiff peaks form. Gradually add the caster sugar, beating continuously until the sugar is completely dissolved.

Fold the corn flour, vinegar and vanilla essence into the mixture then spoon into the centre of the baking tray and shape into a circle. 

Reduce oven to 140ºC and bake for 15 minutes, then reduce to 120ºC and bake for a further 1 ¼ hours. Turn off the oven and leave the Pavlova in the cooling oven until cold. You can bake the Pavlova in the evening and leave overnight.

Make the lemon cream. Whip the cream until thick but not stiff then gently fold in the lemon curd.

When the Pavlova is completely cool, carefully remove from the baking paper (slide a spatula underneath to ensure it is able to move freely, then slide of the paper and onto a plate or serving platter). Spread with the lemon cream and then scatter on the blueberries, dust with icing sugar and serve in slices.

Tips

It is important not to overbeat the cream as extra stirring is needed to incorporate the lemon curd. The lemony cream is great with all sorts of things, try it in a trifle, on sponge cake or use to fill profiteroles.