With a crisp meringue outside, delicate marshmallow-like softness inside, filled with cream and topped with fruit, Australia’s most famous contribution to the culinary world was named for the great ballerina Anna Pavlova, and is a queen of desserts.
Pavlova can be baked and served in a fluted china flan dish, moulded in a springform tin or shaped into a free-form dome. Strawberries and passionfruit are two classic toppings, but any fresh, frozen or tinned fruits can be used, or the pavlova can be topped with lemon cheese or apricot sauce.