Christmas Pavlova

It’s the 28th of December and I am a walking, talking post-Christmas cliché.  My fridge is stuffed with leftover turkey and trimmings, my recycling box clinks with wine, beer and Bailey’s bottles and my calendar is defaced with all the exercise classes I am trying to squeeze into the next couple of weeks.  There is some serious atoning to be done.

The main culprit this year wasn’t the  usual savoury snacks nor the roast potatoes nor the pigs in blankets.  No, no – it was the pile of creamy, puffy goodness above.   For someone who claims not to have a sweet tooth, I sure did eat an awful lot of it.  And would, if I’m completely honest, continue to do so if there was even a crumb left.  🙂

Christmas Pavlova (adapted from Stephanie Alexander’s The Cook’s Companion)

(serves 8)

4 large egg whites (room temperature)

Pinch of salt

250g castor sugar

2 tsp cornflour

1 tsp vinegar (anything white)

1/2 tspn vanilla extract

200 ml double cream

100ml Greek yogurt

Seeds of one large pomegranate

Big handful of pistachio nuts, deshelled and skins rubbed (mostly) off

• Pre-heat over to 180C.
• Using an electric whisk, beat egg whites and pinch of salt until stiff peaks form.
• A little at a time, beat in the sugar until mixture is glossy and stiff.
• Sprinkle cornflour, vinegar and vanilla over the mixture and use a large metal spoon to fold in lightly.
• Blob mixture onto a baking paper covered tray in a large circle.  I like to make the middle bit flat-ish and the sides high, dragging a tooth pick in an upward motion over the blobs to make little whispy peak.
• Place in oven and reduce heat to 150 oC.  Bake for 15 mins before turning heat down to 110 oC.  Cook for another 45 mins.  Turn oven off but leave door shut.  Let pavlova cool completely in oven (overnight is good).
• Store in a cool dry place until ready to serve.
• Whip double cream until just thick.  Fold in the Greek yogurt (thank you, Sophie).  Blob onto the top of pavlova then sprinkle over the pomegranate seeds and pistachios.
• Serve immediately.

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