Rhubarb pavlova

Method

Step 1

To cook the rhubarb, heat the oven to 160°C/fan oven 140°C/mark 3. Remove and discard any leaves. If the stalks are very thick, halve them lengthwise, then cut into finger-length sticks. Place in a single layer in a roasting tray (you may need two trays for this). Pour over the orange juice and sprinkle with sugar. Halve the vanilla pod lengthwise and scrape out the seeds, then add these and the empty pod. Cook in the oven for 30 minutes, or until completely soft. Remove and set aside to cool.

Step 2

To make the meringues, reduce the oven to 150°C/fan oven 130°C/mark 2. Whisk the egg whites until they start to foam, then add the vinegar and the sugar, a large spoonful at a time, while continuing to whisk. When all the sugar is added, keep whisking until the whites are glossy and form stiff peaks and all the sugar has dissolved. Check this by squeezing a little between your fingers – you should not be able to feel any sugar granules.

Step 3

Prepare three baking sheets by lining with parchment paper, then dot fingernail-sized blobs of meringue at each corner to hold the paper down. Spoon a third of the meringue onto each sheet, smoothing with a spatula to form equal-sized circles (about 20cm in diameter).

Step 4

Bake for 1 hour or until set; they should be crisp to the touch, but still a little gooey inside. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Meanwhile, toast the flaked almonds in the oven for 15 minutes, until they are starting to colour. Set aside to cool.

Step 5

When you are ready to assemble, whip the cream until it forms soft peaks and spread a third of it over one of the meringue discs. Add a third of the rhubarb and some juice, then a third of the almonds. Continue this until you have a tower of three discs, covered in cream, rhubarb and almonds. Pour any remaining rhubarb juice over the top, so it dribbles down the sides.