Blood Orange and Passionfruit Pavlova

‘When blood oranges are not in season, just double the amount of passionfruit, to make the pure pavlova that made me fall in love with this pudding in the first place. The trick to getting the meringue properly thick but still smooth and shiny is to whisk fast and furiously but add the sugar slowly and serenely.’

Hands-on time 35min, plus cooling. Cooking time 40min. Serves 2-4

FOR THE BASE

● 2 large egg whites, at room temperature

● 125g caster sugar

● 1tsp cornflour

● ½tsp white wine vinegar

FOR THE SYRUP

● 3-4 blood oranges

● 50g caster sugar

FOR THE TOPPING

● 2-3 blood oranges

● 150ml double cream

● 1-2 passionfruit, to give about 50ml pulp and seeds

1 Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4. With a pencil, draw a 15cm diameter circle on a piece of baking parchment and flip on to a baking sheet. 2 For the base, whisk egg whites and

a pinch of fine sea salt in a grease-free bowl, until satiny peaks form, then beat in sugar a spoonful at a time until meringue is stiff and shiny. Sprinkle over cornflour and vinegar and fold in.

3 Mound on to the baking sheet and smooth to a circle inside your template. Place in the oven, then turn temperature down to 150°C (130°C fan) mark 2 and bake for 40min. Turn off oven and leave pavlova to cool inside with the door ajar.

4 Meanwhile, to make the syrup, finely grate the zest from 2 of the oranges into a small pan. Squeeze oranges to get 150ml juice, add to the pan, along with the sugar. Stir, then bring to the boil and cook for 5min. Strain into a small heatproof measuring jug (if you like, eat the zest with a teaspoon, it tastes like essence of marmalade). Pour syrup back into the pan and boil for 6min, until thickened and reduced to 75ml. Cool in the measuring jug.

5 For the topping, with a small serrated knife, slice off top and bottom of 2-3 oranges so that they sit flat on a board. Working from top to bottom, cut the peel and pith away. Cut into a mixture of circles and smaller segments. Put into a bowl.

6 To serve, turn pavlova on to a serving plate (so the tender marshmallow base is uppermost). Whip cream until it holds soft peaks, and mound on to the pavlova. Halve passionfruit and scoop pulp on to the cream, then spoon over the orange pieces. Give syrup a good stir and drizzle a little on top, serving the rest alongside.

PER SERVING (if serving 4) 437cals, 4g protein, 20g fat (13g saturates), 58g carbs (57g total sugars), 2g fibre

GET AHEAD Bake meringue up to a day ahead, when cool store in an airtight container at room temperature.

TO STORE Loosely cover and chill. Eat within 24hr (the meringue will soften in fridge).

Known in my house as the Petite Pavlova, this is a divine dessert when you’re dining à deux, but it will stretch to four without disappointment