Juliet Sear's show-stopping Easter pavlova
If you’re looking for something a little different for your Easter lunch then Juliet has the ultimate show-stopping pudding. Her gorgeous marshmallowy meringue is topped with all the best Easter toppings - it’s perfect for your easter table.
Juliet Sear's Easter Pavlova
INGREDIENTS
For the meringue: 4 fresh medium egg whites, at room temperature 200g light brown sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp white vinegar or lemon juice 1.5 tsp cornflour
For the filling and decoration: 100g milk or dark chocolate, melted 300ml double cream 1 tbsp icing sugar 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract Mini easter eggs, mixed sizes and colours Large easter eggs, optional
METHOD
1) Preheat the oven to 120C. Line 2 baking trays with baking parchment, if making multiple nests, or one large tray and draw a large circle on the paper (about 8-9 inches) and turn it over.
2) Separate the eggs, and place the egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl if using an electric whisk.
3) Add the sugar and vinegar and place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Make sure the bottom of the mixing bowl doesn't come into contact with the water.
4) Use a balloon whisk to beat the egg whites and sugar to dissolve. This will take a few minutes - feel between your fingers to check whether the sugar granules have dissolved. If the mixture feels gritty, continue to cook and stir over the double boiler. The mix should feel warm and slippery, and silky smooth between your fingertips when ready to whisk in the stand mixer.
5) Dry the bottom of the mixing bowl and attach to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk on high speed until the meringue holds firm peaks (this can take ten minutes or more). The meringue needs to be stiff and glossy.
6) Whisk in the vanilla and cornflour.
7) Fit a piping bag with a large star tip and fill with the meringue. Hold the piping bag vertically to the tray and pipe to make the large nest: pipe around the edge of the circle, then fill inwards to cover the whole base with a thin disc of meringue, then build up around the edges with the star nozzle at an angle, so it creates lines and ridges around the outside to look like a nest.
8) For the small ones, begin in the centre and pipe a flat circle going outwards from the centre, about 3 inches in diameter. Continue with another ring around the outside to create a nest effect. (Alternatively, spoon 2 tbsp of meringue into blobs onto the baking trays, leaving a gap between each. Neaten the blobs and make little wells in the middle with the back of a teaspoon.)
9) Bake the meringue in the oven at 120C fan for 20 minutes, then lower the heat to 100C and bake for a further hour, to an hour and 15 minutes, until crisp on the outside but still a little soft in the centre. For the smaller ones, bake at 120C for the first 20 minutes, then lower to 100C for an extra 35-40 minutes.
10) Leave the meringues in the oven without opening the door until completely cooled.
11) To decorate, paint inside each meringue with chocolate to line the inside and around the top edge. Leave to set.
12) Whip the cream and icing sugar until it thickens and is almost at a soft peak stage. Spoon the cream into the meringues, drizzle over the remaining chocolate and fill with a mix of mini easter eggs, or large Easter eggs if you like.