Vanilla Bean Pavlovas with Cream and Berries

1¼ cups caster sugar

1 tbsp cornflour

1 vanilla bean, split and seeds removed

250 g strawberries, hulled and quartered

200 g raspberries or blueberries

1 tbsp caster sugar

¼ tsp finely grated orange rind

250 ml thickened cream, whipped

Method:

Beat egg whites with an electric beater until soft peaks form.

Gradually beat in a quarter cup of sugar until dissolved. Add remaining sugar a little at a time until thick and glossy.

Stir in cornflour and vanilla bean seeds.

Spoon tablespoons of meringue mixture onto baking paper-lined oven trays to form rounds about 4 cm in diameter.

Place into a pre-heated oven at 140°C and immediately reduce temperature to 120°C. Bake for one hour.

Turn oven off and allow meringues to cool in the oven.

Combine berries, sugar and orange rind, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

To serve, top pavlovas with a dollop of cream and a spoonful of berries.

Source: Dairy Australia