This recipe was handed down to me by my mother Vera who taught me that good pavlova should have a gooey, sticky centre, almost like a marshmallow. You want a soft fluffy meringue with a crisp shell.

This is a light dessert that is not too filling.

And you can make it a day ahead which is useful this time of the year.

This pavlova is topped with red currants, pomegranate and raspberries, but you can vary the fruit. Exotic fruits, like lychee and mango, work very well here, if you can find them. Substitute with any fruits that you enjoy.

I made this Victoria sponge on my recent RTÉ television programme and it went down well with the crew! Thank you for all of the kind feedback I have received about the programmes. We enjoyed making them.

And a big thank you to the staff and nuns at Kylemore Abbey who looked after us so well – and for the wonderful chocolates that they make on site!

This seasonal Victoria sponge is delicious with a cup of tea.

I use Simply Better berries which are grown by Pat Clarke in Meath and Des Jeffares in Wexford. I usually double the quantities of the jam and keep some in the cupboard.

Happy cooking,

Neven.

Learn to Cook with Neven is out now published by Gill Books.

Recipes

Pavlova with raspberries, pomegranate & red currants

Pavlova with raspberries, pomegranate & red currants. \ Photography: Claire Nash. Food styling: Janine Kennedy

Serves six to eight

4 large egg whites, at room temperature

Pinch of salt

225g (8oz) caster sugar

2 tsp cornflour

1 tsp white wine vinegar

½ tsp vanilla extract

For the filling:

400ml (14fl oz) cream

50g (2oz) icing sugar

1 vanilla pod, split in half lengthways and seeds scraped out

Finely grated rind of 2 limes

150g (5oz) fresh raspberries

100g (4oz) red currants

100g (4oz) pomegranate seeds

  • 1 Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F/gas mark 2). Line a baking sheet with non-stick baking paper and draw on a 23cm (9in) circle in pencil, then flip the paper over so that the pencil side is facing down.
  • 2 Put the egg whites and salt in a large clean bowl and whisk into stiff peaks. Slowly add the sugar one-third at a time, whisking well between each addition, until the meringue is stiff and shiny. Sprinkle in the cornflour, vinegar and vanilla extract, then fold in gently with a metal spoon.
  • 3 Pile the meringue onto the circle you drew on the paper and make a deep hollow in the centre. Put in the oven and reduce the heat to 120°C (250°F/gas mark ½).
  • 4 Bake for 1½ hours, until very pale brown but still a little soft in the centre. Turn off the oven, leave the door ajar and allow to cool completely.
  • 5 To make the filling, whip the cream in a bowl with the icing sugar, vanilla seeds and half of the lime rind until thickened and just holding its shape.
  • 6 To serve, peel the paper off the pavlova and carefully transfer to a serving plate or cake stand.
  • 7 Pile on the whipped cream and arrange the raspberries and red currants on top, then sprinkle over the pomegranate seeds and decorate with the lime rind and serve straight to the table in all its glory.

    • Mulled winter berry Victoria sponge

    Serves six to eight

    For the sponge:

    225g (8oz) soft butter & extra for greasing

    200g (7oz) caster sugar

    4 medium eggs

    225g (8oz) self-raising flour, sifted finely grated rind of 2 oranges

    Seeds of ½ vanilla pod or 1 tsp vanilla extract

    ½ tsp ground cinnamon

    ¼ tsp baking powder

    For the mulled berry jam:

    300g (11oz) fresh or frozen mixed berries, such as blackberries, blackcurrants, blueberries and raspberries

    250g (9oz) caster sugar

    Finely grated rind and juice of 1 orange

    4 tbsp red wine

    2 star anise

    1 cinnamon stick, snapped in half

    ¼ tsp ground ginger

    To decorate:

    450ml (¾ pint) cream

    Fresh mint leaves

  • 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/gas mark 4). Grease and line 2 × 20cm (8in) loose-bottomed cake tins with non-stick baking paper.
  • 2 Using a hand-held electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar in a large bowl. Add two of the eggs and half of the flour and beat until combined.
  • 3 Add the other two eggs and the rest of the flour along with the orange rind, vanilla, cinnamon and baking powder and beat vigorously to get a good amount of air into it.
  • 4 Divide the batter between the prepared tins. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, until the cakes have shrunk slightly from the sides of the tins and spring back when touched in the centre.
  • 5 Remove from the oven and leave the cakes to cool in the tins.
  • 6 Meanwhile, make the mulled berry jam. Put all the ingredients in a heavy-based pan and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved.
  • 7 Put a small plate in the freezer (this is to check the jam later).
  • 8 Raise the heat to medium and bring to the boil. Simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring regularly, until the liquid has reduced and the berries are coated in thick syrup.
  • 9 To check that the jam has reached setting consistency, remove the plate from the freezer and put a spoonful of jam on it. After a minute, push your finger through it. If it wrinkles, it’s set. If not, give it another 5 minutes and check again. Leave to cool in the pan, then remove all the spices and discard.
  • 10 Whisk the cream in a bowl until thickened and holding its shape. Put one sponge upside down on a serving plate or cake stand. Using a palette knife, spread on half of the whipped cream.
  • 11 Spoon over three-quarters of the jam, allowing some to drip over the edges, then cover with the second sponge. Pipe or swirl the rest of the whipped cream on top and dot with the remaining jam. Decorate with the fresh mint.