This is undoubtedly one of the finest desserts in the world. My Australian wife, Robyn, and Bette, her mother, make the best pavlovas I have ever tasted. The fruits you use must be ripe, very sweet and full of flavour.
1 quantity French meringue
1 mango
100g (3½oz) strawberries or wild strawberries
100g (3½oz) raspberries
100g (3½oz) redcurrants
100g (3½oz) blackberries
100g (3½oz) blueberries
400ml (1¾ cups) double (heavy) cream
1 tbsp rosewater (optional)
4 passion fruit, halved
caster (superfine) or icing (confectioners’) sugar, to dust
Preheat the oven to 150ºC/300ºF/Gas 2. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment and spread the meringue into a rough disc, 22 cm (8½in) in diameter, 5 cm (2in) high. Cook in the oven for 30 minutes, then lower the setting to 120ºC/250ºF/Gas ½ and cook for another 45 minutes.
Switch off the oven and leave the pavlova inside to cool for at least 6 – 8 hours, or preferably overnight. It should then be half-cooked in the middle, crisp on the outside, and the edges should be slightly cracked.
Peel and thinly slice the mango off the stone. Rinse the berries in cold water if necessary, hull or de-stalk them, and place on kitchen paper to dry.
Carefully peel off the parchment and place the pavlova on a flat serving plate. Whip the cream with the rosewater to a very light ribbon consistency, then spoon on top of the pavlova. Scatter the fruits over the surface, and then spoon the passion fruit pulp and seeds over the top. Dust with sugar and serve at once.