Christmas dessert: White forest pavlova

Recipe Kerrie Worner Photography Cath Muscat

I love a pav at Christmas. It took me a while to master the art of the perfect shell, but this recipe is a winner. Get creative – instead of berries, try mango, passionfruit or even caramel – whatever your tastebuds desire! Personally, I love the festive vibe of red raspberries and strawberries. This dish is both a showstopper and a crowd pleaser.

White Forest Pavlova
Serves 8-10

Ingredients
8 egg whites

2 cups caster sugar

600ml thickened cream

100g grated white chocolate

2 x 125g punnet raspberries

Edible flowers and icing sugar, to decorate

Chambord marinated strawberries

2 tbsp caster sugar

2 tbsp hot water

¼ cup Chambord raspberry liqueur

1 punnet small strawberries, hulled, thickly sliced

Method

1 Preheat oven to 100C. Trace two 20cm circles onto two pieces of baking paper. Grease two large oven trays and place baking paper onto prepared trays.

2 Beat egg whites and sugar in the large bowl of an electric mixer for 10-12 minutes until thick glossy peaks form. Spoon evenly onto circles and spread out to edges of circle. Bake for 2 hours until crisp on the base. You can test by gently lifting one side off paper to see if dry on the base.

3 Turn oven off and allow to cool in oven with door ajar. Pavlovas can be made up to two days ahead.

4 To macerate strawberries; combine sugar and water in a bowl until dissolved. Stir in Chambord and strawberries.

5 Whip cream until semi-firm peaks hold. Place a meringue disc on a serving plate and spread with a few big dollops of the cream. Sprinkle with half the grated chocolate. Top with some of the raspberries.

6 Place remaining meringue disc on top and decorate with more cream, white chocolate, raspberries, marinated strawberries. Serve sprinkled with edible flowers and a dusting of icing sugar.