Cook time: 1 hour 30 mins | Prep time: 40 mins | Serves: 6-8

Ingredients.

Pavlova

• 6 eggs whites

• 1½ cups caster sugar

• 2 teaspoons cornflour

• 2 teaspoons white vinegar

Mascarpone topping

• 200g mascarpone

• 200g natural yoghurt

• 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste

• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

Pitted cherry and orange compote

• 500g tin pitted cherries (cherries and juice) 

• 1 orange zest and juice

• ⅓ teaspoon cinnamon 

• ½ cup coconut sugar

• baby mint leaves or micro herbs to garnish

Method.

1. For the compote, combine pitted cherries, orange zest and juice, cinnamon and sugar in a medium saucepan. Simmer for 8 minutes until the liquid has thickened and reduced by half. Set aside.

2. To make to mascarpone mixture add mascarpone, yoghurt, vanilla bean and maple syrup in a bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside in the fridge.

3. Preheat the oven to 180ºC fan. Place the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk on high speed until soft peaks form for 1 minute.

4. Add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking (on setting number 7 or medium/high speed) until dissolved before adding the next spoon of sugar.

5. Once all the sugar has been added (will take 12 - 15 minutes to add all the sugar), scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix the cornflour and vinegar in a small dish and with the beater on low slowly add the cornflour mix into the meringue.

6. On one side of baking paper draw a 20-25cm circle. Flip the paper over and carefully shape the meringue with a spatula. Reduce temperature to 110ºC and bake for 1 hour 20-30 minutes. Leave pavlova in the oven until completely cool or overnight.

7. Transfer meringue to a large flat serving platter. Place the mascarpone gently on top of the meringue and spread to the sides with the back of a large spoon.

8. With a spoon drizzle the compote around the top of the meringue and sprinkle the baby mint on top. Serve straight away.

Cooking Notes: All elements can be done the day before and assembled before serving.

Enjoy! Amanda x