A pavlova for me was meant as a constant in European royal events – a pretty dainty looking thing, piled high with luscious cream and pink berries, looking every bit as regal as a French empress. However, this is very much a New Zealand and Australian dessert, far from the royal homes of Europe, but nonetheless, it was a dessert that was to be picturised, not eaten and far from it, Tips for a perfect pavlova: Ensure egg whites are at room temperature Each utensil and bowl must be completely dry Try to do this at the end of the kitchen duties so that once the pavlova is done baking, you can leave it in the oven at peace Whisk the egg whites well before adding the sugar slowly, 1 spoonful at a time Mix the corn flour and vinegar in a separate bowl to make a slurry only after all the sugar has been added and then add the slurry to the egg white bowl and whisk well to distribute evenly Ensure that the sugar has dissolved well into the egg white mixture Do not beat very fast – slow and steady is the name of this game! Always whisk at a medium speed You do not want too much air whisked into the mixture so try to keep the bottom of the whisks touching the bottom Use an electric hand whisk Do not open the oven door at any point during baking or after baking for at least 6-8 hours Do not freeze or refrigerate the pavlova Pavlova stays only for one day You can store the pavlova in an airtight container at room temperature Dollop whipped cream on top of the pavlova only before serving Use the three egg yolks to make crème brulee here! Recipe Ingredients 3 egg whites½ cup castor sugar¾ tsp corn flour½ tsp vinegarTopping:whipped creamfresh berries and orange slices Recipe Instructions Read the above notes before starting the processPreheat the oven to 150CPrepare a tray with parchment paper linedEnsure the kitchen is clean and dryPrep the counter with all the ingredients requiredIn a metal mixing bowl start the whip the egg whites until they start to form soft peaks – should take about 6 to 10 minutesSlowly add large spoonful of sugar one after another, beating well in between – should take about another 6 minutes to complete – to ensure the sugar is dissolved well, rub a few drops of the egg white mix between your fingers – if it still feels too grainy, whisk furtherRemember to scrape the sides of the bowl as wellThe meringue mix should start to be thick and glossyAdd the vinegar and corn flour slurry and mix well for another 2 minutes until stiff peaks formNow use a spatula to transfer the meringue mix to the parchment paper, creating a round disk, piling up about 2 inches. You can use an offset spatula to smooth the edges or create a design. Ensure smooth edges everywhere or it will be prone to burnBake in the oven for 60 minutesAfterwards, switch off the oven but do not open the oven door. Let the pavlova dry further overnight in the oven or at least 6-8 hours and still do not open the oven door even a bit!Remove from the oven and place on serving dish or an air tight container for serving later in the day