Food & Drink

Layered Pavlova Cake with Fresh Fruit

Serves 18

Ingredients

10 egg whites at room temperature
2.5 cups of caster or superfine sugar
2.5 teaspoons of white vinegar
2.5 tablespoons of cornflour
500ml of thickened cream
3 tablespoons of caster sugar
Passionfruit curd (see recipe below)
½ cup fresh blueberries
Edible violets

Passionfruit Curd Ingredients

4 egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar
100g softened butter
1 cup passionfruit pulp

Recipe

Step 1 Preheat oven to 130C and trace 3x20cm rounds on parchment. Place on baking trays and set aside. Using a spotlessly clean mixer fitted with a whisk attachment beat the egg whites with the vinegar and cornflour until you get soft peaks. Then add the caster sugar gradually and whisk until you get firm peaks. You should be able to turn the meringue upside down in the bowl and it won't move.

Step 2 Divide evenly among the three circles and bake for 1 ¼ hours. Turn off the heat once it is done and let cool in the oven-this is ideally done the night before.

Step 3 Then make the passionfruit curd as it will need to cool completely. Whisk the butter, sugar and egg yolks together with the passionfruit. Place in the microwave and heat for 1 minute at a time whisking between cooks. It will look like it won't come together but it will after 2-3 minutes. Allow to cool and then refrigerate, it will thicken further once refrigerated.

Step 4 Just before you want to serve it, whip the cream with the extra 3 tablespoons of caster sugar. Place one layer on the serving plate and then smooth over a thick layer of cream and then the passionfruit curd and then repeat with the other layers of the pavlova, cream and curd. Top with blueberries and edible violets.