Mulberry or Blackberry Pavlova

I know I go on about mulberries and unless you are lucky enough to have a tree in your garden, they are difficult to get hold of. However, I could not resist including this glorious messy image from An English Vineyard Cookbook.  The recipe works equally well with blackberries and as there is a glut of the fruit in the hedgerows this year I urge you to try it.

Ingredients For a 25cm Pavlova to feed 6-8 

6 free-range Eggs, whites only
300g Caster Sugar
A pinch of salt
1 tablespoon Cornflour
1 tablespoon White Wine Vinegar
250ml Double Cream
400g Berries, Mulberries or Blackberries
Pelargonium and Fennel Flowers

Method
For the meringue
- Roughly cut out a large piece of baking paper and stick it onto a baking sheet brushed with oil.

- Use a standing mixer to whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks

- Continue to whisk and slowly add the sugar just a dessert spoon at a time

- When all the sugar is incorporated, beat in the salt, corn flour and vinegar. Continue to whisk for another couple of minutes until the meringue has a shinny high gloss.

- Pipe the meringue in a circle onto the baking paper. Start round the edge then work into the middle to form a solid base about 3cm deep

- Bake in a preheated oven at 130°C  for 1 hour. Then, without opening the door, just turn the oven off, allow the pavlova to slowly cool inside.

To assemble the dessert
- Sprinkle some icing sugar over the berries to bring out the juices.

- Whip the double cream to a firm but not dry consistency; spread a generous lay onto the meringue.

- Top with the sugared berries and decorate with edible petals.