Mini-Pavlovas with Cape Gooseberries

Pootling around in the garden today I found some ripe cape gooseberries (Physalis peruviana), those bright orange sweet-sour fruits that come in little lantern-like papery husks. I didn't have many but thought gently stewed they would make an ideal topping for a pavlova. A friend gave us a plant many years ago and we've found it thrives in the climate here even when neglected. Under cultivation it gives a really good harvest and as it's self-seeding we now have various plants dotted around the garden. They are incredibly expensive in the supermarket so it's lovely to have our own supply.

I didn't want to make a large pavlova for just the two of us and so decided to scale down Nigella's recipe for mini-pavlovas in How to be a Domestic Goddess. I made just four, one each for dessert tonight, and the other two got stashed in an air-tight box for tomorrow. Nigella suggests topping them with raspberries or blackberries. In the photo, however, I see some are topped with pomegranate seeds, stewed rhubarb and even red currants ... so your call.

These were really nice. I forgot to dust them with icing sugar, but they were sweet enough anyway even though the cape gooseberries are on the tart side. They're so easy I must remember to make them more often.

Mini-Pavlovas with Cape Gooseberries - Makes 4

2 large egg whites
pinch of salt
125g caster sugar
1 tspn cornflour
1/4 tspn vanilla essence
1/2 tspn white wine vinegar
200g cape gooseberries
200ml double cream, whipped
icing sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 180ºC.

Whisk the egg whites with the salt until they're holding firm peaks but not stiff. Gently add in the sugar, spoonful after spoonful, still beating. Sprinkle the cornflour, a few drops of vanilla and the vinegar on top and fold in to combine.

Draw four circles of approximately 10cm in diameter on a sheet of parchment paper cut to the size of your baking sheet. Spoon the meringue into the circles and make a slight indentation in the middle to hold the cream and fruit later. Put the baking sheet into the oven, turn it down to 150ºC, and bake for 30 minutes. Turn the oven off, leave the meringues in for another 30 minutes, then take them out of the oven to cool.

Cut the cape gooseberries in half, put them in a small pan with just one teaspoon of water, and gently stew them for a few minutes until soft.

When you are ready to serve, dollop the whipped cream into the indentations, spoon over the fruit, and dust with icing sugar.