6 free-range egg whites (feel free to use egg whites from a carton if wished)
375g/13oz caster sugar
2½ tsp cornflour
2 unwaxed lemons
300ml/10½fl oz double cream
325g/11½oz jar lemon curd
50g/1¾oz flaked almonds
toasted
Directions
Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Line a baking tray with baking parchment.
Beat the egg whites using an electric mixer until satiny peaks form
then beat in the sugar a spoonful at a time until the meringue is stiff and shiny.
Sprinkle the cornflour over the meringue
then grate in the zest – a fine microplane is best for this – of 1 lemon and add 2 teaspoons of lemon juice.
Gently fold until everything is thoroughly mixed in. Mound onto the lined baking tray in a fat circle approximately 23cm/9in in diameter
smoothing the sides and the top with a knife or spatula. Place in the oven
then immediately reduce the temperature to 150C/130C Fan/Gas 2
and cook for 1 hour.
Remove from the oven and leave to cool
but don’t leave it anywhere cold as this will make it crack too quickly. If you think your kitchen is too cool
then leave the pavlova inside the oven with the door completely open. When you’re ready to eat
turn the pavlova onto a large flat plate or board with the underside uppermost – I do this before I sit down to the meal in question and let it stand till pudding time. This is so the tender marshmallow belly of the pav melds with the soft topping.
Whip the cream until thick and airy but still with a soft voluptuousness about it
and set it aside for a moment.
Put the lemon curd into a bowl and beat it with a wooden spoon or spatula to loosen it a little. Taste the lemon curd (if it’s shop-bought) and add some lemon zest and a spritz of juice if it’s too sweet.
With a light hand
a glad heart and a spatula
spread the lemon curd on top of the meringue base. Now top with the whipped cream
peaking it rather as if it were a meringue topping. Sprinkle with the zest of the remaining lemon – you can grate this finely or coarsely as you wish – followed by the flaked almonds
