Just image the glorious moment when you lean back and the entire room immediately turns pitch dark.

Pure magic!

I learnt it the hard way. Trust me!

Cape gooseberry pavlova

(Adapted from Ottolenghi’s Sweet cookbook)

Make 12

Meringues:
125 g egg whites (from approximately 4 large eggs)
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
250 g sugar

Honey-yogurt cream:
300 g Greek yogurt
100 g heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
3-4 tbs honey (to taste)

To assemble:
240 g fresh gooseberries (halves most of them, but keep 12 whole gooseberries for decoration)
Mint leaves (for decoration)
2 tbs confectioners’ sugar (for decoration)
Butterscotch sauce (for decoration)

To make the meringues:

1. Preheat the oven to 250F.
2. Draw 7-cm circles on the parchment paper sheets. You will have a total of at least 24 circles
3. Place the parchment papers on 2 or 3 baking sheets, drawn side down.
4. Use an electric mixer to beat egg whites and salt until frothy.
5. Add the cream of tartar.
6. Add the sugar.
7. Beat until thick and glossy.
8. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a 7-mm plain tip.
9. Pipe a layer of mixture onto the circles.
10. Bake for about 2 hours.
11. Turn off the oven, but leave the meringues inside until cool.

To make the honey-yogurt cream:

1. In a mixing bowl, whisk yogurt, cream, vanilla extract, and honey until smooth. Set aside.

To assemble:

1. Place a spoonful honey-yogurt cream onto a serving plate.
2. Place a meringue (flat side down) on top of the cream.
3. Add a spoonful honey-yogurt cream on the meringue.
4. Arrange about 10 halved gooseberries on the cream.
5. Spread honey-yogurt cream on the flat side of the second meringue.
6. Place the second meringue (flat side down) on top of the gooseberries.
7. Place a small dollop of the cream on top.
8. Add a whole gooseberry, and a few mint leaves for decoration.
9. Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar.
10. Spoon some butterscotch sauce around, if desired.