Pavlova

Ingredients

• 4 egg whites (5 oz) 
• 1 cup superfine sugar (granulated is fine)
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ tsp corn starch

Topping

• 1 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• mixed berries or other fruit

1. Preheat the oven to 275F and place the rack in middle of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment and draw a 7-inch circle with pencil and then flip the parchment over so the pencil side is down. Set aside.
2. In a clean, medium-sized metal bowl, beat the egg whites with a clean electric mixer (whisk attachment) starting at low speed and slowly increasing to medium after a minute or two. Beat until the whites form soft peaks.
3. Gently sprinkle the sugar into the egg whites, one teaspoon at a time. Continue to beat the egg whites while adding all the sugar, increasing mixing speed to high gradually. Your egg whites should now be thick and glossy with stiff peaks. 
4. Sprinkle the cornstarch and vinegar on the meringue and beat an additional 5-7 seconds on low speed. Fold in vanilla.
5. Now gently spread the meringue in the circle on the parchment to make a circular base. Make sure the edges of the meringue are slightly higher then the center so you have a very small well in the middle.
6. Bake the meringue for about 1 hour and 20 minutes or until it goes a pale, pinkish egg shell color. Turn the oven off and leave the door slightly ajar to let the meringue cool completely. As the meringue cools, it will crack slightly.
7. Just before serving, take the meringue out of the oven and remove it gently from the parchment and place on a plate. (You can also cover and refrigerate the meringue base until you're ready to serve it.)
8. Whip the cream and 1/4 cup powdered sugar until it forms peaks. Gently spread the cream to the top of the meringue with a spatula and arrange the fruit on top.