Preheat oven to 375° and line a half sheet pan (18”x13”) with parchment paper. Place egg whites in bowl of an electric mixer with a whisk attachment and beat on medium-high until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar (about one tablespoon at a time), beating constantly for about 5 minutes until you have a thick glossy meringue. With the mixer on low add the vanilla extract, vinegar and cornstarch. Increase to medium and beat for about a minute until fully combined. Spread meringue to fill the parchment lined sheet pan (should be about ½ “ thick), smooth out top, and place in preheated oven. Bake at 375° for 10 minutes, turn oven down to 275° and bake 15-20 minutes more, turning half way through. Meringue will be pale beige in color and crusty on top and will have puffed up while cooking but will deflate slightly as it cools. Cool completely before assembling.

For the filling, whip 2-3 cups of sweetened whipped cream with your choice of additional flavors, such as vanilla or almond extract, fresh citrus juice, store bought jam, or chocolate/caramel sauce. Don’t make the whipped cream too sweet. The pavlova is very sweet so you want the cream to be a refreshing balance to the sweetness of the meringue.

To assemble, loosen the meringue from the edges of the pan with an offset spatula. Place a clean kitchen towel over the meringue and invert the tray onto your work surface. Lift the pan off and peel the parchment paper off of the base of the meringue. Using an offset spatula, spread about two cups of filling across the entire surface of the meringue. Starting with the longest side closest to you, use the kitchen towel to roll the meringue up and over, so the edges come together to form a log. Gently slide the roll on to a serving platter with the seam side down. Spoon an addition cup of the cream filling down the top center of the roll and cover with powdered sugar, fresh fruit, fruit compote, dessert sauce, candied nuts, or some combination of all. Or slice up the pavlova, transfer to serving plates and top each with additional toppings.

Some suggested pairings:

• Add orange juice or Grand Marnier to whipped cream and serve with fresh strawberries
• Add limoncello, lemon zest or lemon curd to whipped cream and serve with fresh blackberries or blueberries
• Add champagne and lime zest to whipped cream and serve with fresh raspberries
• Add ground cinnamon and Frangelico, amaretto or almond extract to whipped cream and serve with fresh peaches
• Add peanut butter or Nutella to whipped cream and serve with chopped up candy bars and candied nuts