Dinner party winner

Went to a dinner party on saturday and after an offer to help,  I was asked to make a dessert and in particular a pavlova.  Now the host makes a pretty mean pavlova so the pressure was on, especially as I hadn't made one since school 35 years ago.  Then I made a grape pavlova and invited the very lovely Kristina Parka and Loria Christou to lunch in the domestic science classroom. 

 I wanted to try and make something a little different and found a recipe by Mary Berry for Easter Lemon Pavlova.  Well you cant go to far wrong with the queen of baking!  I only changed the recipe slightly, omitting chocolate eggs and replacing them with blueberries, raspberries and strawberries.  I also changed the method of making the lemon curd.  The meringue ideally needs to be made several hours in advance.  The result was a lovely sweet pavlova nicely balanced by the slightly tangy citrus flavours.  

Lemon pavlova

Serves 6-8

For the meringue

6 free-range egg whites

350g/12oz caster sugar

2tsp white wine vinegar

2 level tsp cornflour

For the lemon curd filling

6 free-range egg yolks

350g/12oz caster sugar

4 lemons, juice only

225g/8oz butter

450ml/¾pint double cream

To serve

Selection of soft fruits eg strawberries, raspberries, blueberries.

For the candied lemon zest

100g/3½oz caster sugar, plus extra for coating the zest

4 lemons, zest only (in long thin strips)

Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2. Lay a piece of baking paper on a large baking tray.

Put the egg whites into a bowl and whisk until stiff using a mixer if you have one. Gradually add the sugar until the mixture is stiff and shiny and stands in peaks.  Blend the vinegar and cornflour together in a cup and mix until smooth. Stir this into the meringue mixture.

Spread half of the meringue mixture onto the paper to give a 25cm/10in circle. Fit a rose nozzle onto a piping bag and fill with the rest of the meringue mixture. Pipe 8-10 separate little nests positioned equally around the edge of the circle.

Slide the meringue into the middle of the oven, turn the heat down to 140C/275F/Gas 1 and bake for about 1½ hours (check after one hour), or until it easily comes off the paper. The pavlova should be a pale creamy colour. Turn off the oven but leave the Pavlova inside the oven until it's completely cold. It is a good idea to make a Pavlova in the evening and leave it in the turned-off oven overnight to dry out. The secret of successful meringues is to let them dry out completely.

For the lemon curd filling, gently heat the egg yolks, sugar and lemon juice in a medium saucepan and whisk. Gradually add the butter, whisking continually until it starts to thicken. It should coat the back of a spoon when it reaches the correct consistency. It will firm up further once cooled.

Whisk the double cream in a large bowl until thickened, then swirl it through the cooled lemon curd making a ripple effect.

Put 100ml/3½floz water and the caster sugar in a pan. Bring to the boil, stirring. Add the zest and boil for 2-3 minutes, or until syrupy. Drain on parchment paper, roll in extra caster sugar and leave to dry in a warm place for a couple of hours, or overnight.

To assemble:

Spoon a little lemon filling into each of the mini nests and the remainder in the centre of the meringue. Decorate by placing some fruit in each of the mini-nests around the edge of the dessert. Place a mound of candied zest in the middle of the pavlova, and serve.