the hairy bikers’ plum pavola

“British plums are the best, so make good use of them in the autumn and whip up this truly awesome pavlova. this meringue marvel is a gift from our friends down under and a pleasure to behold,” state the hairy Bikers of their take on the popular fruity dessert.

here’s how to whip one up at home...

SERVES 8 INGREDIENTS

5 egg whites 1 tsp ground cinnamon 250g caster sugar 1tsp white wine vinegar Cherries 100g dried cherries 100ml kirsch For the spiced plums: 200ml red wine Juice of 1 orange 75g light brown sugar 1 cinnamon stick A few cardamom pods, lightly crushed A few allspice berries, lightly crushed 1 strip of thinly pared orange zest 8 ripe plums, stoned and quartered To assemble: 300ml double or whipping cream 1tbsp icing sugar 1/2tsp cinnamon (optional) METHOD: » 1. First make the meringue. Preheat the oven to 150 degrees C/fan 130 degrees C/gas 2. Draw a circle of about 23cm in diameter on a sheet of baking paper and place this on a baking tray. » 2. Beat the egg whites with a handheld electric whisk, until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed from the bowl. » 3. Mix the cinnamon with the sugar, then slowly add this to the egg whites. Add a tablespoon at a time to start with and then slightly more, beating in between each addition, until the meringue is stiff and glossy. Sprinkle over the vinegar and fold it in. » 4. Use a few blobs of the meringue to secure the baking paper to the baking tray, then pile the rest into the marked circle. Make a slight indentation in the middle and allow the meringue to form peaks around the side. » 5. Bake the meringue in the oven for about an hour and 15 minutes, to an hour and a half. It should be crisp round the sides but with some give in the middle. Turn off the oven and leave the meringue in there to cool completely. » 6. To prepare the cherries, put them in a small saucepan with the kirsch. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down and simmer until the cherries are soft and plump, and most of the kirsch has been absorbed. » 7. To make the spiced plums, put the wine, orange juice, sugar, spices and orange zest in a saucepan and stir over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil and simmer for a few minutes until the mixture is syrupy. Add the plums and poach them in the liquid for a few minutes, or until soft but still holding their shape. » 8. Remove the plums from the liquid, peeling off the skins as you go - they should just fall off. Strain the cooking liquid. » 9. To assemble, whip the cream and add the icing sugar and the cinnamon, if using, then stir in a couple of tablespoons of the plum liquid and the cherries. Spoon the cream over the meringue base, top with the plums and drizzle over any remaining liquid.