Ingredients
4 egg whites
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
1 tsp vanilla extract
150g raw caster sugar
55g soft brown sugar
3/4 tbls cornflour
1/1/2 teaspoons white vinegar
Filling
150ml thick cream
50g light sour cream
1 tsp butter
50g pecans
2 tbls maple syrup
A handful of blueberries
Method
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C. Draw small plate-sized circles on baking paper on a large baking tray.
Beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Add the raw caster sugar and brown sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until all the sugar is incorporated and dissolved and the mixture is thick and glossy. Stir in the cornflour and vinegar.
Pile the mixture onto the circles on the baking paper and spread into shape with a spatula. Place the baking tray in the oven and reduce the temperature immediately to 130 degrees C. Bake for 1 hour 20 minutes, then turn off the oven, prop the door ajar and leave the pavlovas until completely cooled.
Combine the thick cream and the light sour cream in a bowl. Melt the butter in a small frying pan and add the pecans. Toss in the melted butter, then add the maple syrup. Fry until the pecans are coated in the maple butter, but be careful not to turn the maple butter to toffee!
Spoon the cream mixture onto the mini pavlovas, scatter the maple pecans and blueberries over the pavlovas and drizzle with the remaining maple butter. Serve straight away. You can also freeze the unfilled pavlovas for filling at a later date.
The Quirk and the Cool 