These scrumptious pavlovas have a base of meringue topped with cream, toffee sauce and sliced bananas, then decorated with chocolate swirls.
Individual Banoffee Pavlovas
Prepares: 4 pavlovas
- Preparation time: 30 minutes
- Cooking time:1 hour 15 minutes
- Ingredients
- For the meringues
- 2 large eggs/extra large eggs, whites only
- 110g/4 oz caster sugar/fine white sugar
- 2 tsp cornflour/cornstarch
- ½ tsp white wine vinegar
- For the cream topping
- 140ml/5 fl oz/¼ pint double cream/whipping cream
- For the banoffee topping
- 110g/4 oz plain toffees*
- 140ml/5 fl oz/¼ pint double cream/whipping cream
- 2 bananas
- For the chocolate swirls
- 50g/2 oz plain/dark chocolate
- *If you can’t find toffees in the confectionary aisle, caramel dessert/sauce topping would be a substitute. You will not need the second quantity of cream.
- Equipment
- Small disposable piping bag
- Method
- Preheat the oven to 140°C/275°F/gas mark 1.
- To make the meringue, whisk the egg whites until they are stiff. Then gradually add the sugar a spoonful at a time until the meringue is stiff and glossy. Sprinkle over the cornflour/cornstarch and vinegar and whisk in.
- Place a piece of baking parchment on a large baking sheet and secure by dabbing a little of the meringue mixture in the corners. Use the meringue from the edge of the whisk to do this (a Mary Berry tip).
- Spoon four separate large spoonfuls onto the paper and flatten to make circles about 2.5cm/1 inch thick.
- Bake for 1¼ hours, until the meringues can be lifted off the paper easily. Leave to cool.
- Pour 140ml/5 fl oz/¼ pint of the cream into a small pan and add the toffees. Put the pan over a low heat and, stir occasionally, until the toffees have melted. Leave to cool. (Omit this stage, if using caramel topping)
- Break the chocolate into small pieces and place half in a bowl over a pan of just simmering water. When melted, remove from the heat and add the remaining chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the consistency is smooth. Set aside to cool a little.
- Whip the cream until it is thick, then gently spread over the meringues.
- Slice the bananas and add to the toffee mixture, stirring to coat the bananas. Or, if you are using caramel topping, spoon 6 tablespoons into a small bowl, add the sliced bananas, and stir to coat. Divide the mixture over the cream layer.
- Spoon the chocolate into the piping bag and snip off the end to give a small opening. Pipe a zig-zag pattern over the bananas.
- They can be chilled for up to one hour. Any longer and the bananas will start to discolour.