Ingredients

• 6 medium free-range egg whites
• 300g/10½oz caster sugar
• 1 tsp cornflour
• 1 tsp white wine vinegar
• 150g/5½oz white chocolate
• melted
• 600ml/20fl oz double cream
• 1 vanilla pod
• seeds scraped out
• 750g/1lb 10z fresh strawberries
• half cut into halves and the remainder left whole with leaves left on
• 250g/9oz strawberries
• 2 sheets gelatine
• soaked in a small bowl of water
• 100g/3½oz caster sugar

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 140C/280F/Gas 1. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
• For the meringue
• place the egg whites into a large food processor with a whisk attachment
• and whisk until soft peaks are formed when the whisk is removed from the bowl. Gradually add the sugar and whisk until firm.
• Gently fold in the cornflour and vinegar.
• Spoon the meringue onto the baking tray to make a large nest shape. Place in the oven for 10 minutes and then turn down the heat in the oven to 120C/250F/Gas mark ¼ and cook for one hour. Then leave overnight in the oven to cool completely.
• For the strawberry
• white chocolate and vanilla cream filling
• paint the melted chocolate inside the nest of the cooled pavlova. Place the cream and vanilla seeds into a large bowl and whisk until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed from the bowl.
• Add the halved strawberries and mix thoroughly. Spoon this mixture over the white chocolate-coated meringue. Place the whole strawberries on top.
• For the strawberry glaze
• place the strawberries into a food processor and blend. Pass through a fine sieve and place in medium frying pan over a medium heat.
• Drain the gelatine leaves and squeeze any excess water out
• then add the gelatine to the pan and stir to melt into the strawberry sauce.
• Brush the whole strawberries with the strawberry glaze.
• To serve
• place the caster sugar in a frying pan and heat until melted and golden-brown. Drizzle the caramel over the pavlova.