Pavlova Recipe

Here is my mother-in-law's recipe for Pavlova. We had this on Easter and it is YUMMY!

Traditional PavlovaIngredients
· 5 egg whites
· pinch of salt
· 1 c. sugar
· 4 tsp cornstarch
· 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
· 1/2 tsp. vinegar
Turn on the oven to 275 degrees.. Prepare a cookie sheet for baking, using baking paper or brown paper. Draw a 10" circle on the paper. Beat the egg whites to a foam, then add salt. Continue to beat to a stiff foam--when the peaks curl over. Gradually add the 1 c. sugar while beating all the time. Continue to beat until the peaks stand up--the stiff stage.Add cornstarch and quickly beat this into the meringue. Beat the vanilla and vinegar into the meringue until just mixed. Pile high on the prepared paper inside the circle. Place in the oven to bake.Cook for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, then turn off oven. Leave for 30 minutes, then take out. While still warm, peel off paper and place on serving dish. When cold, top with whipped cream and fresh fruit or berries. Serve chilled--freezes well. Note. Another recipe I have calls for leaving the meringue in the oven for 12 hours after turning oven off. This is probably a good idea if you don't need the oven for something else, as it tends to keep it dry. I use 1 pint of whipped cream.