With Mother’s Day (Sunday, 10 March) just a day away, fear not if you haven't yet purchased a gift for the motherly figure in your life.
It's not too late to nip to the shops, grab some ingredients and show your mum you love her with a scrumptious dessert.
This rose and rhubarb pavlova by Eleanor Ford will do just the trick, and will add a wow factor to your Mother’s Day celebrations.
Here's how to make it...
Rose and rhubarb fool pavlova
Serves 8
Ingredients
For the meringue
- 6 large egg whites (240g), at room temperature
- 375g caster sugar
- 2½ tsp cornflour
- 2 tsp white wine vinegar
- ½ tsp rose water
- ¾ tsp pink peppercorns, ground
For the rhubarb fool
- 350g rhubarb, roughly chopped
- 3 tbsp caster sugar
- ½-1 tsp rose water
- 225ml double (heavy) cream
- 75ml Greek-style yoghurt
- A handful of pomegranate seeds to decorate before serving
1. Draw a roughly 23cm circle on a piece of baking parchment (you can draw around a cake tin) and put it pencil-side down on a baking sheet.
2. Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas mark 4. In a stand mixer or with an electric whisk on medium speed, beat the egg whites until they become white and foamy.
Add the sugar, a spoonful at a time, whisking in. Turn up the speed and whisk for 5–10 minutes until the mass is glossy and thick. If you rub a little between your fingertips, it should feel smooth.
3. At low speed, briefly whisk in the cornflour, vinegar, rose water and pink peppercorns.
4. Tip the meringue onto the baking sheet, swirling it into the shape of a cake using the circle as a guide. Smooth the edges using a small palette knife then drag the sides from bottom to top to create deep grooves all around the edge.
5. Put into the oven and immediately lower the temperature to 150°C/130°C fan/gas mark 2. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes.
6. Leaving the meringue in the oven, turn off the heat and let it cool slowly without opening the door. The longer you leave it, even overnight if you have time and patience, the less it will crack – though a few cracks are normal and will soon be buried in cream.
7. For the rhubarb fool, shake together the rhubarb, sugar and rose water in a pan. Set over a medium heat and cook, uncovered, for 15 minutes or so. The juice will seep out then start to reduce as the stems tenderise and collapse into a compote. Leave to cool.
8. Whip the cream to soft peaks then gently fold through the yoghurt. Ripple in the stewed rhubarb and chill in the fridge until ready to serve.
9. At the last moment, spoon the rhubarb fool into the centre of the meringue and top with pomegranate seeds
SPICE SWITCH
Add 1 heaped teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the meringue and top with whipped cream and dark autumn berries.
A Whisper of Cardamom: Sweetly spiced recipes to fall in love with by Eleanor Ford (Murdoch Books, £26)
