by local mum Amanda Cordony of The Cordony Kitchen
This gorgeous dessert is the perfect end to a special meal and will wow the socks off everyone who tries it. Adorned with beautiful pitted cherries, orange zest and a hint of cinnamon, it’s a wonderful welcome the festive season.
- Serves: 8
- Prep time: 25 minutes
- Cook time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Ingredients:
Pavlova
- 6 egg whites
- 1½ cups caster sugar
- 2 teaspoons cornflour
- 2 teaspoons white vinegar
- 300ml pure cream
- Cherry compote
- 125g blackberries – some halved
- Baby mint or small mint leaves to garnish
Pitted Cherry and Orange Compte
- 500g tin pitted cherries (cherries and juice)
- 1 orange zest and juice
- ⅓ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup coconut sugar
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180C. With a stand up electric mixer place the egg whites in the bowl with a pinch of salt whisk on high speed until soft peaks form.
2. Add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking until dissolved before adding the next spoon of sugar.
3. Once all the sugar has been added, this will take 15 minutes to add all the sugar, scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix the cornflour and vinegar in a small dish and with the beater on low slowly add the cornflour mix into the meringue.
4. Use a dinner plate and pencil, trace a circle on baking paper and place on baking tray. Flip paper over and shape meringue with a spatula. Reduce temperature to 120C and bake for 1 hour 20 minutes. Leave pavlova in the oven until completely cool.
5. Beat cream in a free-standing mixer until soft peaks form. Spoon whipped cream over the pavlova, then top with 4 tablespoons of cherry compote, fresh blackberries. Sprinkle with baby mint or mint leaves.
For the compote: combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and simmer away for 8 minutes until the liquid has thickened a little.