Berry Pavlova

Draw 4 circles with a diameter of 15 cm on baking paper. Turn the paper over - the outline of the circles should be visible - this is the template for laying out the meringue

Preheat the oven to 120 degrees. Mix sugar and cornstarch together thoroughly

Making the meringue. Start whipping the egg whites at medium to high speed. Add a pinch of salt. Beat until soft peaks form

While continuing to whisk, start pouring in 1 tsp. of the starch-sugar mixture - gradually. If you pour in too much and often, there is a risk that the sugar will not dissolve. For meringues, it is preferable to use fine sugar. By the end of whipping, when all the sugar mixture is over, you should get a homogeneous, slightly shiny snow-white mass. Important: meringue is dangerously under-whipped as well as over-whipped. Therefore, as soon as the meringue holds its shape well and looks glossy and homogeneous, stop beating. Add the vanilla extract and lemon juice and whisk for the final time (about a minute).

We transfer the meringue into a pastry bag with a round tip of at least 1 cm. We plant “nests” in a circle, that is, we make a “backing”, and then make the sides in a circle. If the meringue is whipped correctly, nothing should leak or deform - an absolutely stable mass

Bake the pieces in an oven heated to 120 degrees for 1.5 hours. Next, turn off the oven and, without opening the door, leave for at least 2 hours. I always leave it overnight

Preparing the cream. My ideal option for this dessert is whipped cream (or as it is called by pastry chefs - Chantilly cream). Whip the very cold cream on the highest speed of the mixer, adding powdered sugar. Since meringue "nests" themselves are very sweet, do not add a lot of powdered sugar to the cream - otherwise it will be sugary. And do not whip the cream to hard peaks. It's the tenderness and the difference in textures - crispy meringue and delicate cream - that matters here

Spoon the whipped cream into the nests, garnish with your favorite berries. Ideal - red currants, strawberries, blueberries. Sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar before serving

Serve immediately (this dessert will not stand for a long time and cannot be stored), surprise guests and enjoy the wonderful taste and delight of your guests and relatives:)