For the Pavlova
3 large eggs whites only
1 cup (200g) sugar caster or granulated
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
For the whipped cream
1 cup (230ml) cream heavy / double cream
½ cup (60g) sugar powdered / icing
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
To fill
2 tbsp curd lemon, orange etc (optional)
1 cup (150-180g) fresh berries strawberries, raspberries, blueberries
Make the pavlova
Separate the eggs and place the egg whites into the bowl of your stand mixer. Save the egg yolks to make Carbonara or curd. Add the sugar and lemon juice and place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Make sure the bottom of the mixing bowl doesn’t come in contact with the water.
Use a balloon whisk to stir the egg whites and sugar to encourage the sugar to dissolve. This will take a few minutes – feel between your fingers to check whether the sugar has dissolved. If the mixture feels gritty then continue to cook and stir over the double boiler.
Dry the bottom of the mixing bowl and attach to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk on high speed until the meringue holds firm peaks – this can take ten minutes or more. The meringue needs to be stiff and glossy.
Fit a piping bag with a large star tip and fill with the meringue. Place a liner inside your air fryer basket. Pipe a ring of the meringue on the liner then fill the middle. Build up the sides by adding more meringue.
Bake in the air fryer at 120°C for 20 minutes then reduce the heat to 95°C and continue to cook for a further hour and 10 minutes (2 hours total). Turn the air fryer off but leave the pavlova inside the basket to cool. It can stay in there overnight or until needed.
Make the whipped cream
Place the cream, icing sugar and vanilla in the bowl of the stand mixer with whisk attachment (or use a hand mixer). Whisk on medium-low setting until the cream holds soft peaks.
Fill and serve
Carefully remove the meringue shell from the air fryer and place on a cake stand or plate. Fill with softly whipped cream, lemon curd and top with a medley of fresh berries. Serve immediately!
Be careful when separating the eggs. If egg yolk gets into the whites the meringue will simply not whip! Cold eggs are easier to separate.
Make sure the bowl of the stand mixer and whisk are spotlessly clean. Even a tiny bit of grease can stop the meringue from frothing.
