Orange-Berry Pavlova

1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Draw a 9-inch circle on a large sheet of parchment paper. Place parchment on a large baking sheet with the circle facing down and centered in the pan.

2. Beat together egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt on high speed with an electric mixer in a bowl until soft peaks form. Add in sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, beating continuously, until stiff, glossy peaks form. Mix in vanilla and almond extracts. Sift cornstarch over the egg mixture and gently fold in until just combined.

3. Pour egg mixture into the center of the circle on the parchment paper on the prepared pan. Starting from the center and moving outwards, gently form the meringue into a round no larger than the drawn circle. Create an impression in the center of the meringue so the edges are slightly taller than the middle.

4. Place into the preheated oven and bake until the pavlova feels firm and dry to the touch, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Turn the oven off without removing pavlova. Leave in the oven to cool for at least 1 hour.

5. Pour heavy whipping cream into a large bowl. Beat at medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Add orange zest and vanilla extract; beat until combined.

6. Gently remove pavlova base from the parchment paper and place onto a serving tray. Top with whipped cream, oranges slices, and mixed berries. Serve immediately.

Cook's Note:

You can use any variation of mixed fresh berries for the decoration.