Life All Travel Destinations Entertaining Food All Chefs Recipes Restaurants Wine Matching Wine All Wine 101 Wine News Wine Regions Wine Varietals Home > Selector Magazine > Food > Lyndey Milan's Festive Pavlova Food Lyndey Milan's Festive Pavlova Preparation time 20 minutes Cooking time 1 1/2 hours Serves 8 6 egg whites, at room temperature (it is easier to separate eggs when cold then bring to room temperature) 1½ cups (330g) caster sugar 1 tbsp cornflour 1 tsp white vinegar To Serve 300ml thickened cream 1 tbsp icing sugar mixture 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 firm ripe mangoes, peeled and sliced 200g punnet blueberries or 250g halved strawberries 3 passionfruit 2 tbsp glace ginger, thinly sliced Pineapple flowers, (optional) see below To make pineapple flowers: preheat oven to moderate, 180ºC (160°C fan-forced). Trim and thinly slice a small pineapple (or half the one you have used for the noodle salad). Combine ½ cup (125ml) water, and 1 tablespoon sugar in a small pan, stir over a low heat until sugar is dissolved. Immerse the pineapple slices in the syrup, and then lay slices out on a baking tray that has been lined with baking paper. Bake for 30 minutes to 45 minutes, or until the pineapple slices have become dry and a little golden. Remove from trays. Pinch the core to shape each slice into a flower. Set aside on trays to cool completely. For the pavlova: preheat oven to low (120ºC/100°C fan-forced). Mark a 20cm circle on baking paper, place on a baking tray, pencil mark side down. Beat egg whites in a clean, dry, large bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form (lift beater and egg white should come to a slight point). Only then add caster sugar, a heaped tablespoon or so at a time, beating until dissolved. (To test, rub some mixture between fingers – if too grainy, keep beating until it is smooth to touch and glossy.) Then fold in cornflour and vinegar. Spread meringue inside the marked circle on the prepared tray. Use the back of a wet spoon, spatula or palette knife to shape the sides and level the top. Bake in very slow oven about 1½ hours or until set and dry (surface should be dry to touch). Turn oven off, but leave door slightly ajar and cool in oven. To assemble: Up to an hour before serving, beat cream, sugar and extract in a small bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Spread a small spoon of cream on a flat serving plate or cake stand. Place pavlova on top, then fill with cream, decorate with fruit and top with pineapple flowers (if desired). Food Preparation time 20 minutes Cooking time 1 1/2 hours Serves 8 SHARE