Pavlova

How to prepare pavlova

1. Wash well, dry well, and then degrease with a lemon slice the bowl in which you'll beat the egg whites (including the whisk and other accessories if using a stand mixer). Put the egg whites with a pinch of salt in the bowl and start beating. When you begin to see only white foam, start adding the powdered sugar (the 150g), one tablespoon at a time, then pause to let it incorporate well before moving to the next tablespoon. When you've added half the sugar, add one teaspoon of vinegar. Add the rest of the sugar, still gradually, one tablespoon at a time. At the end, add the other teaspoon of vinegar. Beat the meringue for another minute. Now, it should hold on the whisk and be glossy. If it's not, continue beating.
2. Line the baking tray with parchment paper. Draw a circle on the paper (20cm diameter) and place the meringue in the center. Using the back of a spoon, starting from the center, make a crater in the middle of the meringue. Create any designs you want with the spoon (but not too firmly so the meringue doesn't deflate!), keeping the meringue within the drawn circle.
3. Bake the meringue in the oven at 150°C for 1 hour. Don't open the oven during this time. The meringue will become cream-colored on the outside with a very crispy crust. But inside it will remain white and have a marshmallow-like consistency. Turn off the heat after one hour and let the meringue cool in the oven. This step is mandatory, otherwise the meringue may crack or collapse.
4. Peel the parchment paper from under the meringue, pulling gently without breaking the base. This is the hardest step. If small cracks appear in the meringue it's okay, but don't break it! Pull the paper as if you were removing a sticker 😉 Place the meringue on a platter.
   * the cold meringue can be stored in the refrigerator in a container with a lid or covered with foil until serving
5. The following steps should be done no more than 30 minutes before serving the cake.
7. Prepare the strawberry cream: blend 10 strawberries in a blender with 1 teaspoon powdered sugar and the mint leaves.
8. Whip the cream until it holds peaks and sweeten to taste (I used 2 teaspoons powdered sugar).
9. Place the whipped cream in the meringue crater. Pour a few good spoonfuls of sauce over it and gently swirl with a spoon to create a marbled effect. Arrange the remaining whole strawberries on top (they look prettier with stems) or sliced. Serve the remaining strawberry sauce alongside the cake, there will certainly be demand for it.

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