Pavlovas with spiced berries

Special equipment • electric mixer

ServeS 6

3 large egg whites

1 cup granulated sugar

¾ cup confectioners’ (powdered) sugar

1½ tsp ground cinnamon

1lb (450g) package frozen mixed berries, thawed

3 tbsp port wine

½ tsp pumpkin pie spice blend

finely grated zest of 1 orange

1 cup heavy whipping cream

Method:

1 Preheat the oven to 250°F (130°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Put the egg whites in a bowl with a pinch of salt and whisk with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Beat in ½ cup of granulated sugar, 1 tbsp at a time, and continue beating until the mixture is stiff and shiny.

2 Sift in the confectioners’ sugar and 1 tsp of the cinnamon, and fold them in with a large metal spoon. Spoon the mixture onto the baking sheet in 6 heaps, spreading each one out to make a round about 4in (10cm) in diameter. Use the back of a spoon to make a small hollow in the center of each one. Bake for 1½ hours or until crisp and easy to peel away from the parchment paper. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes.

3 Meanwhile, put half the berries and any juices from them in a pan with the port, the remaining ½ cup sugar, the pumpkin pie spice, orange zest, and ½ tsp cinnamon. Cook until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture comes to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes, then stir in the remaining berries, remove from the heat, and leave to cool completely.

4 Put the cream in a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Place the pavlovas on individual serving plates and divide the cream among them. Spoon the spiced berries over each and serve.

Pavlovas with spiced berries