Strawberry pavlova

A crisp-shelled, marshmallowy meringue piled with whipped cream and fresh strawberries. Named after the ballerina Anna Pavlova, it's claimed by both Australia and New Zealand, and has long been a British summer favourite too.

Ingredients

• 4 Eggs, whites only (save the yolks for custard)
• 220 g Caster sugar
• 5 g Cornflour
• 5 ml White wine vinegar
• 2 ml Vanilla extract
• 300 ml Double cream
• 15 g Icing sugar
• 400 g Strawberries, hulled and halved
• 5 g Fresh mint, small leaves

Method

1. Heat the oven to 150°C (130°C fan). Draw a 22cm circle on a sheet of baking paper and turn it over onto a baking tray.
2. In a spotlessly clean bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks. Add the sugar a spoonful at a time, whisking well after each, until the meringue is thick and glossy and doesn't feel gritty.
3. Whisk in the cornflour, vinegar and vanilla. These give the pavlova its soft, chewy middle.
4. Spoon onto the circle and swirl up the sides to make a nest with a slight dip in the middle. Bake for an hour.
5. Turn the oven off and leave the pavlova inside with the door ajar until completely cold. Don't worry about cracks; they get covered.
6. Just before serving, whip the cream with the icing sugar to soft peaks, spoon into the middle and pile the strawberries and mint on top.