< Summer
< Summer Food

Marshmallow Snowballs
Love Heart Biscuits
Blackberry and Apple Slices
Gooseberry Fool
Cherry Picking
Frozen Bananas
Lemon Drizzle Cake
Raspberry & Apple Palmiers
Making a Giant Teacake
Plum Squares
Bottled Fruit
Blackberry Polenta Cake
Trifle in a 'Trifle'
Pears in Lemon Juice
Anna-Louise's Redcurrant Tart
Baby BBQ
Zinging Home-Made Lemonade
Mini-Cooked Breakfast
Butterfly Fruit
Blackcurrant Coulis
Lemon Ricotta with Summer Fruits and Blackcurrant Coulis
Dough Balls
Kids' Summer Cup
Primrose Salad
Food by Firelight
Easy Cheese Soufflé
Elderflower Fizz
Zany Pavlova
Herb Pikelets and Orange Caviar
Buttermilk Cake
Maypole Cake
Flowers to Eat
Elderflower Cordial
Popcorn
Junket
Vanilla Ice-Cream with Orange Toffee and Cowslips

Zany Pavlova

There is no nicer bubbly dessert than crunchy, air-filled pockets of meringue, and this colourful version always brings a 'wow' factor to the table.

4 size 1 eggs, separated
250g caster sugar
250ml blackcurrant coulis (you can buy this or make your own)
500g or more fruit - blackberries and raspberries are best
250ml double or whipping cream


Preheat oven to 150ÂșC/Gas Mark 2. Line a baking tray with baking parchment (or try Flexiware - we love these reusable silicon sheets, nothing ever seems to stick to them). Whisk egg whites until stiff. Gradually add the sugar a tablespoon at a time, whisking well between spoonfuls. This is the important bit: take your time and whisk thoroughly, and you'll be rewarded with a wonderfully glossy stiff meringue.

Spoon on to the prepared tray forming a circle about 20cm round with a dip in the middle. Then with a teaspoon, lightly sprinkle half the blackcurrant coulis over the meringue circle and swirl into the meringue with a knife. Bake for about 1 hour but check at 45 mins - the meringue should be firm to the touch but not brown. When cooked, take out and leave to cool.

To serve, whip the cream and pile in the centre. Arrange the fruit on top. Serve with the remaining coulis beautifully drizzled over each slice.