Pavlovas With Lemon Curd and Tropical Fruit

Pavlovas are a traditional Australian/New Zealand dessert. Normally served in a cake size but these are mini size perfect for the individual use. I used ready made Pavlova mini shells for the sheer convenience and use lactose free cream as Little Miss (DD) & my sister in law are lactose intolerant. This recipe comes from a book called 'Marie Clair Sweet' by Jody Vassallo.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• Mini Pavlovas

• 4  egg whites
• 1  cup caster sugar
• 1  teaspoon vanilla essence

• Lemon Curd

• 1  tablespoon lemon rind, grated
• 2  tablespoons lemon juice
• 1⁄4 cup caster sugar
• 2  eggs
• 50  g butter (1 3/4 oz)
• 1  cup  cream, whipped

• Tropical Fruit

• 2  bananas, sliced
• 1  mango, sliced
• 8  passion fruit

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F/Gas 2). Beat the egg whites in a clean dry bowl until soft peaks form. Add the sugar gradually, beating well after each addition, until thick and glossy with stiff peaks. stir in the vanilla.
2. Line a tray with baking paper and spoon the mixture into six small nests on the tray. Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce the oven to 120oc (250oF/Gas 1/2) and bake for 10 minutes Turn off the oven and leave the pavlovas to cool in the oven with the door ajar.
3. To make the lemon curd, put the lemon rind, lemon juice, sugar, eggs and butter in a heatproof bowl and whisk together.
4. Place the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, making sure the base of the bowl is not sitting in the water. Stir for about 15 minutes, or until the curd is thick - do not allow it to boil. Lat plastic wrap on the surface and leave to cool. Fold on the whipped cream all through the curd. Spoon into the pavlovas and top with banana, mango and passionfruit.