Kiwiberries with kiwi fruit, Oil on wood panel, 20 x 20cm
Kiwiberries are about the size of a gooseberry or large grape and have a deep purple hue under their bronze skin. They make a delightful contrast to their larger cousins when decorating the classic kiwi dessert - a pavlova.
Now have to make a confession, I come from a large family with many aunties and when we all got together for family celebrations each sister or sister inlaw would make their party-plate to bring and share and heaven help you should you step on your auntie’s cooking turf! Pavlovas and upsidedown cakes were Aunty Penny’s forte, but my Mum made lemon meringue pie, so that’s what I learnt. Even among my sisters, we each had specialities, one sister made fancy cakes, another pikelets and I made biscuits. So I have never made a pavlova!
I was lucky enough to have a close friend who was the pavlova queen and now her nephew has stepped up to the plate, so this is Joe’s favourite pavlova recipe.
Ingredients Pavlova base
4 egg whites, room temperature
250 g castor sugar
2 tsp cornflour
1 tsp white vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract, optional
Pinch salt
Ingredients Filling
300 mls thickened cream
1 Tsp vanilla extract
1 tblsp sugar, optional
Plus 3-4 kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced
Method
Preheat oven to 180C fan forced. Surprising, but he assures me it works!
Line a flat baking tray with baking paper, mark out a 20cm circle and turn over the paper.
In a scrupulously clean glass or metal bowl, whip egg whites with a pinch of salt into soft peaks on low speed. Slowly add sugar, a tablespoon at a time and turn to medium speed to finish beating to glossy stiff peaks. Rub a little mixture between your fingers to check that sugar is fully dissolved.
Make a slurry with cornflour and vinegar, fold into egg whites with vanilla, (optional)
Carefully transfer egg whites to tray and quickly, gently form into a circle using your premarked guide, creating a higher rim around the sides as you go. Place in the centre of the oven and immediately turn the temperature down to 150C. Cook for 75 minutes, turn the oven off and crack open the oven door. Leave the base to cool down completely in the oven.
Filling
Transfer the base to your serving plate. Whip cream, with vanilla and sugar to soft peaks. Mound into the centre of the base and top with rounds of fresh kiwi fruit.
On the other hand, if you are like me, you’ll just take the kiwi fruit, cut it in half and eat it with a teaspoon!