Here’s a dessert that will make anyone sing with joy. Raspberry Pomegranate Layered Pavlova tastes as lovely as it looks. The tart raspberry and crunch of pomegranate contrast beautifully with the vanilla scented cream filling.

Raspberry Pomegranate Layered Pavlova

Ingredients:

10 egg whites
Large pinch salt
2 1/2 cups sugar
5 teaspoons cornflour or cornstarch
2 1/2 teaspoons white or red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
725 ml heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 punnets raspberries
Seeds from 1 large pomegranate

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400℉/200℃.

2. Line three baking trays with parchment paper and draw a 20cm/8 inch circle on each.

3. Beat egg whites with salt in a stand mixer until soft peaks form.

4. Add sugar 1/2 cup at a time, beating thoroughly between each addition until meringue is thick and shiny. (If you can hold the bowl upside down and the meringue doesn’t move, it’s the correct thickness.)

5. Add cornflour, vinegar and vanilla extract to the meringue and gently fold in.

6. Divide mixture equally between the three baking trays and spread gently to fill in the circles.

7. Place the trays in the oven and immediately reduce heat to 250℉/120℃. Bake meringue disks for 90 minutes and then turn off heat, leaving them to cool in the oven.

8. When ready to assemble, whip cream with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

9. Take one meringue and spread with a third of the cream, leaving a small gap around the edge. Decorate with a handful of berries and pomegranate seeds, concentrating the berries at the sides and the pomegranate seeds in the middle. Repeat with two other layers.

Serves 16-18

Recipe slightly adapted from The Hungry Australian

That cat in the portrait above aspires to the loveliness of Chelsea Wilde’s voice. ‘The Alchemist’ weaves piano and haunting vocals in this title track from Minor Birds’ engrossing new EP.

“Don’t look at me like that.
Like I’m made of magic.
You’ll grow out of it.
They always do.”

Check out Minor Birds on her Website where you can learn of upcoming shows in California and buy the music.

Cheers!