This Classic Australian Dessert NEVER fails me and is always a crowd pleaser. If you think you'll be pushed for time on the day you're entertaining, make it the meringue shell the day before. Once your guests have enjoyed a great dinner, and everyone's ready to round off with something sweet, you can bring out your creation. Just before you serve your pavlova, pop to the fridge and whip out some whisked cream and some pre-prepared fruit to make decorating a cinch and make the most of your time with your guests. Tips -

• A wet or dirty bowl will mean your whites won't whip properly
• The lemon juice helps the proteins to stay big and fluffy, you can use a vinegar instead if you want
• I like to use un-bleached, golden caster sugar which gives the base a lovely golden colour once it's baked. For a bright white Pav, use bleached caster sugar.
• If you're lost as to what to do with the yolks at the end stay tuned for Yolky recipe ideas!

Classic Pavlova - The Family One

Ingredients:

• Four Teaspoons Gluten Free Cornflour
• Six Eggs
• 1 Teaspoon Cream of Tartar
• 1 and 1/3^rd Cup of Raw Caster Sugar
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste
• 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
• 200ml of whipping cream
• Fruit (fresh not frozen)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200C
2. Use a plate to draw a circle around on a piece of baking paper and dust liberally with 1 teaspoon of the cornflour
3. Separate eggs, put yolks to one side
4. Using an electric mixer, beat eggwhites and cream of tartar in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating constantly until thick and glossy. Add remaining 3 teaspoons cornflour with the last tablespoon of sugar.
5. Fold through vanilla and lemon juice.
6. Spoon meringue onto baking paper. Shape into a circle, using the pencil mark as a guide, with a slightly higher edge and a low centre.
7. Reduce oven to 100°C. Bake for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours or until dry and crisp.
8. Turn off oven and open oven door. Cool completely in oven (pavlova may sink during cooling).
9. Slide pavlova onto a serving plate. Spread with cream and top with fruit. Serve.