Serves eight portions

Ingredients

4 large egg whites

220g/8oz caster sugar

Red food colouring, optional

400g/14oz fresh strawberries

350ml/12oz double cream

Icing sugar to dust

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 140c/Gas Mark 1.

2. Once, while the oven is heating up you can place the egg whites into a large clean mixing bowl.

3. Whisk the egg whites with half of the sugar 110g until there’s a stiff peak. It is always very important not to over-whisk them as because this will cause them to collapse.

4. You should then whisk in the remaining sugar about a tablespoon at a time. It is best to make sure you whisk after each addition until all the sugar is used up, then do the mixing bowl over the head trick.

5. A few drops of food colouring can be added at this stage, and you can partly whisk them in for a marble effect.

6. Take a metal tablespoon, and spoon onto a prepared large baking tray lined with parchment paper, forming a 22cm/9’’ diameter circle.

7. Use the tip of the spoon to make little swirl effects in the meringue.

8. Place the baking tray onto the middle shelf of the oven and bake for a good hour, until the meringue feels firm on top. But whatever you do, make sure you do not open the oven door for the first hour.

9. Turn the oven off and leave your pavlova inside the oven to dry out. It is best to wait until the Pavlova is completely cold.

10. When you’re ready to serve, or up to an hour ahead, whisk the cream and cut up the strawberries.

11. Place your pavlova onto a serving dish or stand.

12. Next spoon over the whipped cream and arrange the strawberries on top.

13. Finish off by dusting over a little icing sugar and maybe pour over some strawberry puree.