Rhubarb |And strawberry pavlova

Ingredients

• 6 large free-range egg whites
• 360 g white caster sugar
• quality white chocolate
• RHUBARB & STRAWBERRY COMPOTE
• 400 g rhubarb
• 400 g strawberries
• 1 vanilla pod
• 50 g white caster sugar , or more if needed, depending on sweetness of rhubarb
• VANILLA CREAM
• 300 ml double cream
• 1 tablespoon white caster sugar
• 1 vanilla pod , or ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Description

1. For the compote, trim and cut the rhubarb into 2cm chunks, then hull and halve the strawberries. Place all the compote ingredients in a pan with a dash of water and cook over a low heat until the fruit is soft. Allow to cool.
2. Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F/gas 2 and line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.
3. Meanwhile, put the egg whites and sugar in a pan and gently heat, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves. Pour into a mixing bowl and whisk till you have soft peaks. Spoon onto the greaseproof paper in 8 mini pavlovas and bake for 40 to 45 minutes until crunchy on the outside and soft inside.
4. For the vanilla cream, whisk all the ingredients until the cream has increased in volume and keeps its shape.
5. Assemble the pavlova by dolloping the cream on the meringue, followed by some fruit. To finish, shave or grate over white chocolate.