Name: Pavlova Christmas tree topped with strawberries and passionfruit
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 cup white chocolate melts, melted; 5 free-range egg whites, at room temperature; ¼ tsp cream of tartar; 1¼ cups caster sugar; 2 tsp vanilla extract; 2 tsp white vinegar; 2 Tbsp cornflour; 600ml thickened cream, whipped to soft peaks; Sliced strawberries, passionfruit pulp and icing sugar, to decorate

If you normally opt for a classic circular shaped pav, how about giving the Christmas centrepiece a merry, tree-shaped makeover. Piling your pavlova high with strawberries and passionfruit pulp is a given, but you can make it even more jolly with easy white-choc stars.

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Ingredients

1 cup white chocolate melts, melted

5 free-range egg whites, at room temperature

¼ tsp cream of tartar

1¼ cups caster sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp white vinegar

2 Tbsp cornflour

600ml thickened cream, whipped to soft peaks

Sliced strawberries, passionfruit pulp and icing sugar, to decorate

Method

Preheat oven to 120°C fan-forced (140°C conventional). Draw a tree outline on paper, then photocopy to enlarge tree to 35cm high and 25cm at widest part of base. Copy image onto baking paper and lay on an oven tray, image-side down.

Transfer melted chocolate to a small snaplock bag with one corner snipped. To make decorative stars, pipe crosses onto a piece of baking paper, then add horizontal and vertical lines through the middle. Leave stars to set completely.

Put egg whites and cream of tartar in the large bowl of an electric mixer. Beat, using whisk attachment, until soft peaks form.

With motor running, add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition, until well combined and meringue is thick and glossy. Add vanilla, vinegar and cornflour. Beat until just combined.

Transfer mixture to a large piping bag with a large plain nozzle. Pipe a meringue tree onto prepared baking paper from Step 1. With an offset spatula, smooth the tree surface. Pipe another 2-3 outlines on tree, creating a cavity in the middle. Bake for 1 hour, or until meringue is crisp. Turn oven off and leave meringue to completely cool for 2 hours with door ajar.

Spoon cream into meringue. Top with strawberry, pulp and choc stars. Dust with icing sugar. Serve.

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Sarah Murphy

Sarah began her career in the Australian food media industry 14 years ago. She is now the Food Editor for Better Homes and Gardens, Woman’s Day and Take 5 and loves creating clever and achievable recipes for readers (that will still impress too!)