Strawberries pavlova with basil, lime and balsamic vinegar
Pavlova con fragole ed aceto balsamico
Another classic given a fresh twist by Gino, with the addition of basil, lime and balsamic to the sweet strawberry pavlova.
Serves – 8
Ingredients
6 large egg whites
350g caster sugar (preferably from a jar in which you have buried a couple of vanilla pods)
2 teaspoon of corn flour
1 teaspoon of white wine vinegar
Zest of 1 lime (finely grated)
2 tablespoons of finely chopped basil
1 teaspoon of lime juice
For the topping:
400g fresh strawberries
3 tablespoons of caster sugar (see above)
2 tablespoons of finely chopped basil
8 small basil leaves
2 teaspoons of balsamic vinegar
250ml Jersey cream
150ml whipping cream
Few drops of vanilla extract
Preparation
Line a baking sheet with non stick baking paper and draw a 25cm diameter circle on it.
Place the egg whites in a large bowl and whisk until stiff. The whisk should make a stiff peak when drawn out of the egg white.
Whisk in half of the sugar and continue to whisking until the mixture is thick and glossy. Fold in the remaining sugar using a spatula, then fold in the vinegar, corn flour, basil, lime zest and juice.
Spoon the meringue on to the baking sheet, following the circle. Make a dip in the centre with the spoon and create peaks at the edges.
Place in the middle of a preheated oven at 180º and bake for 5 minutes. Turn the oven down to 140º and continue to cook for a further 60 minutes. Turn the oven off and leave the meringue in the oven for at least 5 hours or overnight.
Once the meringue is ready, wash the strawberries and cut in half. Place in a bowl and toss with the sugar, basil and balsamic vinegar. Leave to marinade for 1 hour, toss occasionally.
About 30 minutes before serving, whip the creams in a large bowl with the vanilla extract until soft peaks form. Heap the cream in the meringue base.
Arrange the strawberries on top using a slotted spoon.
Just before serving spoon over the juices and decorate with the small basil leaves.