Simply Delicious Recipe: Valentine’s Day Pavlova with berries and meringue

Susan Hay is joined by Massimo Capra, owner of Capra’s Kitchen, to prepare Pavlova with berries, lemon curd and meringue.

Decadent and delicious, it’s the perfect treat for Valentine’s Day.

Meringue ingredients 

• 3 egg whites
• 3/4 cup icing sugar + more for dusting
• ¼ tsp cream of tartar
• A pinch of salt

Lemon Curd

• 3 egg yolks
• 100 gr sugar
• ½ tsp lemon zest
• 55 ml lemon juice
• A pinch of salt
• 2 tbsp butter

Chocolate sauce

• ½ cup cocoa powder
• ¾ cup sugar
• ¾ cup water
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• A pinch salt
• 1 tbsp butter

Whipped cream

• 1 cup 35 per cent cream
• 1 tsp sugar

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Strawberries

One pint of strawberries washed and dried and cut into small dice, reserve a few large ones to slice into heart shape.

Prepare the meringue

Place room temperature egg white in a mixer bowl, add salt and cream of tartar. Start whipping at slow speed until the whites are foaming, then increase the speed and start adding some of the sugar (about a third). Once the whites are fully whipped, add the rest of the sugar and continue whipping at slower speed for a minute.

Form the meringue using a spoon and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Once you have formed all the meringue, dust them liberally with icing sugar and place in a preheated oven at 200F. Bake until meringue is dry, but do not overbake. They will be slightly golden and slightly cracked.

Prepare the lemon curd

Place the yolks in a glass bowl and add sugar, zest, salt and juice. Whip well and place over a double boiler. Continue to whisk until the mixture thickens (like a hollandaise sauce), remove from the heat, add the cold butter and whisk until melted. Store in the refrigerator.

Prepare the chocolate sauce

Sift the cocoa powder, add sugar and salt, place in a saucepan and add the water. Slowly bring to a gentle simmer. After a few minutes, the chocolate will thicken. At this point remove from the heat, add the vanilla and the butter, strain through a fine mesh and store in the refrigerator.

Prepare the whipped cream

Whip together the cream and sugar until stiff. Set aside until needed.

Assembly

Place a spoonful of curd in a bowl, crush some meringue on top of it, spoon some diced strawberries and top with the cream.

Repeat and finish with a drizzle of chocolate sauce and a few of the strawberry hearts. Then enjoy!

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