Pavlova Towers

Equipment

• 1 Thermomix
• 1 Mixing bowl
• 1 Baking trays
• 1 Baking paper
• 1 Butterfly whisk
• 1 Piping bag with a round nozzle (1 cm)
• 1 Fine-mesh sieve
• 1 Serving platters or cake stands

Instructions

1. Cherry Syrup
2. Place cherries, sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon into mixing bowl and cook 6 min/100°C/speed 2, then blend 1 min/speed 4-10, increasing speed gradually from speed 4 to speed 10. Transfer into a bowl and set aside. Clean and dry mixing bowl.
3. Meringues
4. Preheat oven to 150°C. Line 3 large baking trays with baking paper and set aside.
5. Place sugars into mixing bowl and mill 10 sec/speed 9. Transfer into a separate bowl and set aside. Thoroughly clean and dry mixing bowl.
6. Insert butterfly whisk. Place egg whites and cream of tartar into mixing bowl and whip 4-6 min/37°C/speed 3.5, without measuring cup, until very stiff peaks form.
7. Mix 4 min/37°C/speed 3, slowly adding reserved sugar (1 teaspoon at a time), vinegar and vanilla through hole in mixing bowl lid. Mixture should be glossy and smooth. Remove butterfly whisk.
8. Divide meringue mixture evenly between 3 bowls. Add 2 tablespoons of the reserved cherry syrup to 1 bowl and gently combine using a metal spoon, taking care not to remove air from mixture. Add cocoa powder to another bowl, and gently swirl through to create a marbled effect. Do not add anything to last bowl of egg whites.
9. Using a piping bag with a round nozzle (1 cm), pipe each mixture into approx. 30 small circles (approx. 4 cm diameter) onto the prepared trays. Using a fine-mesh sieve, dust cherry meringues with freeze-dried cherry powder (optional) and dust chocolate meringues with extra cocoa powder.
10. Place trays into oven, reduce temperature to 110°C and bake for 1 hour (110°C). Turn off oven and leave meringues to cool completely with oven door shut (approx. 2 hours). Cleanand dry mixing bowl and butterfly whisk.
11. Assembly
12. Insert butterfly whisk. Place cream into mixing bowl and whip 45 sec/speed 3.5, or until soft peaks form. Remove butterfly whisk.
13. Using 2-3 serving platters or cake stands, dot whipped cream onto platters in a circular pattern and arrange meringues, alternating flavours, on top of cream (using cream to secure meringues). Build pavlova towers by dotting cream onto meringues and stacking meringues in a vertical circular pattern. Fill any gaps between meringues with whipped cream, berries and mint leaves. Serve with extra cherries and cherry syrup.