(for 6/8)

110g (4 oz.) Egg Whites (Whites from 4 large eggs)
Pinch Salt
Pinch Cream of Tartar
225g (8 oz.) Caster Sugar
1 tsp. Cornflour
1 tsp. Vinegar
Half tsp. Vanilla Extract.
425ml (15 oz.) Cream
450g (1 lb.) Strawberries

First taste the strawberries, depending on the amount of early sunshine they may need a little sugar, or even a little sugar and a smidgen of balsamatic vinegar and pepper if tasteless.
Top them, halve them and doctor as necessary.

Now make the Pavlova:
Make sure that you remove all traces of yolk from the egg whites, and that the bowl and the whisk are perfectly clean.

Whisk the egg whites with the salt and cream of tartar until stiff.
Continue beating and add in the sugar spoonful by spoonful, until the mixture is glossy and holds a peak when you lift out the beater.
Stir the cornflour,vinegar and vanilla together to dissolve the cornflour and still whisking add to the meringue mixture.
Line a 10″ tart tin with baking parchment and spoon on the meringue until roughly even, making a slight depression in the centre.
Bake this at Gas 2, 150 C, 300 F, ( 140 C in a fan assisted oven) for about 45 mts. The outside will have gone pale beige and crisp while the inside is still soft.Peel off the parchement and leave to cool completely.

At the last minute (otherwise the meringue will get soggy) Put the whole lot together.

Put half of the strawberries on the pavlova base.
Whip the cream until stiff and spoon over the strawberries.
Put the second half of the strawberries on top of the cream.
(If you have some fresh basil a little chopped basil sprinkled on top is delicious.)