½cup(120ml) Greek yogurt (or omit the yogurt and use a total of 1¼ cups/300ml of whipping cream instead - that is the classic option, but the yogurt adds a lovely rich tang)
½teaspoonvanilla
2kiwifruits and 1½ cups of strawberriesor about 2 cups of mixed berries, or any fruit of your choice
a few mint leaves or thin strands of lemon zest for garnish - optional
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
Draw an 8 inch (20cm) circle onto a piece of parchment paper with a pencil or black marker pen. Use a small plate or saucepan lid that is about that circumference for a tracer. Flip the parchment paper over so the circle is on the bottom and lay it onto a cookie sheet.
Whip the egg whites and salt to stiff peaks. Gradually add in the sugar, one tablespoon at time. Beat until it is very stiff and shiny and the sugar is completely dissolved and you can't feel any sugar crystals when you rub a small amount of meringue between your fingertips. This will take at least 10 minutes of whipping. Beat in the cornstarch, lemon juice and vanilla.
Plop the meringue onto the parchment paper within the circle. If the parchment moves around to much, put a little dab of meringue under each corner to stick it to the pan. Use a spatula to spread the meringue gently to the edges of the circle. Shape it so it has relatively straight sides and a flat top; don't worry too much about getting it perfect. A loose rustic shape with a few crags and waves makes for a more attractive pavlova. Try to keep the meringue to the size of the drawn circle though, as it will expand with baking to make about a 9 inch (24cm) disk.
Put the baking sheet into the oven and immediately lower the temperature to 225°F (110°C). Bake it for 1½ hours. Turn off the oven and don’t open the door. Leave the pavlova in the oven until it is cold, or overnight.
You can assemble the pavlova an hour or two before serving. Whip the cream to soft peaks, then fold in the Greek yogurt and vanilla. Spread this onto the top of the pavlova, bringing the cream almost to the edges of the meringue.
Peel and slice the kiwis, and halve or quarter the strawberries. Arrange the fruits on top of the cream in a pattern, or strew them atop with a random and casual elegance. Add a few mint leaves or lemon zest strands if you like.
Cut in wedges to serve. The pavlova is best served the same day (but leftovers the day after have never been sneezed at in our household.)
Serves 8. (But even if there are only 4 of you - you'll want to make this pavlova anyway. I guarantee the rest of it will disappear like magic.)
Notes
Traditional pavlova uses only whipped cream under the fruit layer, but I've replaced some of the cream with Greek yogurt to make it lighter. The additional tang is especially lovely to help counteract the sweet meringue. You need to use the full amount of sugar, as that is what gives structure to the beaten egg whites and keeps them from collapsing. You can use a Greek yogurt with any percentage of milk fat you prefer. I usually use 2%, but higher or lower is fine.Use any fresh fruit or berry you like, though softer fruits that are colourful are your best option. Kiwifruits, berries, mango, dollops of passionfruit; are all traditional.Humidity can play a role in how your meringue turns out and how it keeps. Here in our dry Alberta climate, the meringue dries out with a nice crisp shell and soft marshmallow inside. I've kept it for two days, uncovered on the countertop, and it has stayed relatively unchanged - maybe just a little drier. In a more humid climate, it is best to keep the baked meringue stored at room temperature in a tightly sealed container. You can make it up to two days ahead, then fill it shortly before serving - up to several hours before serving if the outside of the meringue is nice and crispy.