Ina Paarman's Pavlova
Instructions
Adjust oven rack to middle position.
Preheat the oven to 140C and line a large oven tray with baking paper. Draw a 26 cm diameter circle on the baking paper.
Wipe a bowl out with the cut side of a lemon and then dry it with clean kitchen paper. Rinse the beaters in boiling water to make sure there is not a speck of grease on them.
Beat the egg whites just until bubbles form. Add the lemon juice.
Beat vigorously on high speed while turning the bowl.
When the whites form peaks and the points of the peaks just flap over when you lift the beaters. Start adding the castor sugar tablespoon by tablespoon. Continue beating and adding the sugar slowly until the mixture becomes very thick, heavy and shiny.
Sift over the cornflour and add the boiling water. Fold it in lightly.
Glue the corners of the baking paper to the pan with a little of the meringue mixture. Spoon the meringue into the centre of the circle on the baking paper.
Spread the meringue mixture to fill the circle and then shape it with the back of a spoon to form a 'nest'. Lift the sides up higher with a pallet knife, from the base to form the 'wavy' lines on the outside.
Bake for 20 minutes at 140C, then turn the oven down to 100C, bake for another 1 hours. Switch off the oven and leave the Pavlova in the oven with the door closed to cool down completely.
for CHEESECAKE FILLING:
Mix according to box instructions, but use 2 cups (500ml) of cream as per ingredient list above. Keep the mixture covered in the fridge.
for fruit:
Rinse the strawberries and remove the green stalks - cut berries in half. Refrigerate in a closed container in the vegetable drawer where they won't get too cold.
TO ASSEMBLE
Fill the pavlova with cheesecake mixture, top with fruit and serve.
