Turkish Delight Pavlova

Meringue:

Topping:

Preheat the oven to 130°C and line a baking tray with baking paper.

Meringue:
Beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar. Continue beating until soft peaks form.

Gradually add the castor sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time and beat until soft peaks form and the castor sugar is fully incorporated. Check this by rubbing a little meringue between your fingertips - if it feels grainy, continue beating.

Beat in the vanilla essence. Then fold in the corn flour.

Trace a circle onto the baking paper using a 20 cm cake tin. Turn the paper over and glue down the corners.

Spoon the meringue onto the baking paper inside the circle and shape it into a nest. Use a spatula to create a petal effect around the sides.

Reduce the oven temperature to 110°C and bake for 90 minutes. Turn the oven off without opening the door and leave to cool for an hour. Then, open the oven door slightly and leave to cool completely.

Topping:
Beat the cream until soft peaks form. 

Add the yoghurt to a seperate bowl and gently fold in the whipped cream. 

Just before serving, spoon the yoghurt filling into the centre of the meringue. Decorate with the pistachios, pomegranate rubies and rose petals.

A delicious and creamy summer dessert!

HINTS & TIPS:

• Only use large eggs for the Meringue to ensure that it is stiff enough. The ration of sugar to eggs needs to be perfect.
• To ensure the egg whites whip up to maximum volume; use a clean, dry glass or metal bowl and egg whites at room temperature.
• Avoid making pavlova on a rainy or humid day. The sugar in the meringue will absorb the moisture in the air and cause the meringue to “weep” (when liquid seeps out of the pavlova).
• Be sure to use castor sugar and not granulated sugar, as it dissolves more easily.
• Mix the egg white or meringue on medium speed only. Using high speed will introduce air too quickly, resulting in the meringue deflating.
• Do not overbeat the egg whites before you add the sugar. If they become dry or the egg whites separate, they have been overbeaten and the egg whites will lose the ability to "hold on" to the sugar.
• Add the sugar gradually (1 tablespoon at a time). Ensure that the sugar has dissolved before adding the next tablespoon by rubbing a little meringue between your fingertips. If the sugar is not fully incorporated it can result in weeping. 
• Avoid opening the oven at any point in the baking process. A sudden drop in temperature can cause the meringue to crack.
• Cool the meringue down gradually by leaving it in the oven and switching it off. If the pavlova cools too quickly, the sudden temperature change can cause the centre to shrink away from the crust and the pavlova will collapse.