Claudia Frew's rosewater, pomegranate and raspberry pavlova

Sixteen-year-old Claudia Frew won the alternative category of the 2013 Nosh Food Market Mt Eden Annual Pavlova Competition with her rosewater, pomegranate and raspberry creation. Claudia is aspiring to one day own a bakery and has her own baking blog called claudiescakery.blogspot.co.nz.

Ingredients

6	Eggs, whites only
1 pinch	Salt
1 ½ cups	Caster sugar
2 tsp	Cornflour
1 tsp	Vinegar
1 Tbsp	Rosewater
2 tsp	Pomegranate molasses
350 ml	Cream
2 drops	Food colouring, a few drops of pink food colouring
2 punnets	Raspberries
1	Pomegranate, use the seeds for decoration
1	Rose, use the petals for decoration

Directions

1. Heat oven to 120 degC. Trace a 23cm cake tin outline on a sheet of baking paper and flip onto a baking tray so that the pencil side is down. Spray the baking paper with non-stick baking spray and wipe off the excess with a paper towel.
2. In a clean metal, china or glass (not plastic) bowl, beat the egg whites and salt using an electric beater until soft peaks form.
3. Add the caster sugar, 1 tsp at a time, while the beaters are running, making sure to fully incorporate before adding the next teaspoon. Keep whipping until all the sugar is combined and you have stiff, glossy peaks. Make sure there are no gritty bits left when you rub a bit of mixture between your fingers.
4. Sift in the cornflour, add the vinegar and rosewater and mix well.
5. Scoop the mixture onto the prepared tray and shape into a circle using a palette knife, flattening the surface.
6. Bake for 1½ hours until the exterior of the pavlova is dry and crisp. Turn off the oven and leave the door closed until the pavlova is completely cool (about 4 hours, preferably overnight).
7. To serve, place the pavlova on a cake board or plate. Beat the cream until slightly stiff then add the pomegranate molasses and food colouring and continue whipping until stiff but not too thick. Dollop the pomegranate cream onto the pavlova and spread using a palette knife. Decorate with fresh raspberries, pomegranate seeds and rose petals.

Claudia’s top tip

When getting the seeds out of the pomegranate, slice the pomegranate into quarters, immerse one quarter in a bowl of cold water and use your fingertips to remove the seeds. The seeds will sink to the bottom and the white flesh will rise to the top. Remove the flesh floating on the surface and then strain the seeds and dry using a paper towel or tea towel.