Lemon curd Pavlova.
This easy recipe uses just three eggs – and means that you don’t have left-over yolks from making the meringue.
Ingredients:
3 eggs, 2 separated and 1 whole
For the meringue:
2 egg whites
4 ounces/100 grams caster sugar
5 tablespoons cold water
½ teaspoon cider or white wine vinegar
½ teaspoon cornflour
½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
For the lemon curd:
2 lemons, zest of both and juice of 1 and a half
1+ whole egg plus the 2 egg yolks
3 ounces/75grams caster sugar
2 ounces/50grams unsalted butter, cut in to small pieces.
Topping:
3 fluid ounces/75ml double cream
1 very heaped tablespoon Greek yoghurt
Fruit to garnish such as nectarines, raspberries etc.
Method:
Place the two egg whites in the bowl of a mixer and whisk until becoming stiff.
Add the sugar a spoon at a time with the whisk still running.
Keep whisking until glossy and stiff, and while adding the water a spoonful at a time.
Keep whisking while adding the vinegar, cornflour and vanilla paste– the result should be very stiff.
Pile on to a parchment-line tray and gently smooth the top.
Cook for an hour at Gas 2 (300F/150C)
Allow to cool before sliding on to serving plate.
While the meringue is cooking, whisk the lemon juice with the whole egg and two remaining egg yolks before pouring on to the sugar and lemon zest in a heat-proof bowl.
Add the Butter pieces to the bowl and place it over a pan of simmering water.
Keep whisking until the curd thickens – between 5-20 minutes – more heat will cook the curd more quickly but with more risk of it becoming lemon-flavoured scrambled eggs!
Cool in the fridge.
Meanwhile, whip the cream until it softly holds its shape and fold in the yoghurt.
Chop the fruit garnish.
Top the cooled meringue with the cream and yoghurt mix, then the curd and finally the fruit.
My Tips:
Make sure that the eggs are at room temperature – so, if they are in the fridge, take out at least the night before.
Whip the cream in the same bowl used for the meringue.
Mixing yoghurt with the cream helps cut through the sweetness and, with the fruit, makes you feel slightly more virtuous!
Enough for six servings from just a few ingredients.