I couldn’t resist posting just one more Jubilee-tastic dessert before the weekend of fun commences – Jubilee pavlovas. This is something that came to me on one of those nights when you wake up at 3am on the dot and can’t go back to sleep. This is a regular occurrence for me but I now choose not to fight it but to use it as a time to think up recipes, flavours and food ideas.

You are probably thinking I have completely lost it! Well, my reasoning is that if you spend  say one or two nights of the week getting woken up by either children, being too hot/cold, needing the loo or stressing about how much you have got on your plate the following day, then you may as well use it to your advantage.

So, every now and then, when  I wake up, I have a little think and get my creative brain cells  working.  This Jubilee Mini Pavlova  idea came about after many thoughts involving the use of meringue. I thought gateau, tiny bite size, roulade, even millefeuille. But what I came to realise was I just wanted the colour.

For me, it had to be blue. Bright and bold with a swirly ripple effect. I also wanted red but as I suspected, the red simply pinked out in the oven much to the delight of my daughters. Blue stood in good stead and the rest of the recipe fell into place by using two very British and seasonal ingredients. Elderflowers and strawberries.

So the mini pavlovas get topped with elderflower whipped cream and elderflower marinated strawberries, both are ridiculously good. My only question is why has it taken me so long to realise this!

Jubilee Mini Pavlovas :- Makes 12 approx

Ingredients :-

• 4 egg whites

• 250g sugar (caster or light brown)

• 2tsp cornflour

• 2tsp vinegar (I used Aspall organic malt vinegar but white wine/cider is used most frequently)

• Blue Food Colouring

• 300ml double cream

• 1 punnet strawberries

• Elderflower cordial

• Blueberries

• Edible Jubilee decorations

Method :-

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees.

2. Whisk your egg whites until they begin to turn white and form soft peaks.

3. Add in your sugar gradually while you continue whisking your egg whites.

4. Whisk until the meringue appears glossy and smooth and is forming defined peaks.

5. Mix the cornflour with the vinegar in a small bowl  then add in to the meringue.

6. Stir well then add in your blue food colouring and fold in gently so that you have a blue ripple effect.

7. Place the meringues on baking trays lined with baking parchment. Mine were about the size of the shop bought meringue nests you find in the supermarket.

8. Place  the meringues in the oven and turn the heat down to 140 degrees immediately.

9. Bake for 30 minutes. Leave to cool down in the oven.

10. Whip your double cream very lightly before adding in as much elderflower as you like to taste (I added about 6tbsp)

11. Chop your strawberries and place in a bowl. Again add as much elderflower cordial as you like. (I added about 4tbsp)

12. When the meringues are completely cold add your toppings and Jubilee decorations and serve immediately.