A perfect pavlova is an elusive beast. The road to perfection is littered with soggy bottoms, burnt edges and plates of chewy fudge. So, what’s the secret? How can we finally climb the Pavlova mountain and plant our flags in egg white perfection? Here are a few tips to help you on the way.

1. Keep It Clean

Before you start. Before you even lift an egg out of the box, ensure everything you are going to use, especially your bowl, is clean. The tiniest hint of grease will cause your pavlova to flop.

1. Keep It Cool

If you don’t normally store your eggs in the fridge, then stick them in for a few hours beforehand. Separate your eggs as soon as they come out of the fridge. Take extra care when separating the eggs to make sure there isn’t any egg yolk or egg shell in the egg white. Even the smallest amount of yolk will prevent your eggs whipping to their fullest potential.

1. Wait for That Whip

The mix is there in the bowl. The temptation is to start whipping straight away. Don’t. Your mix is still too cold. Go for a walk. Settle your accounts. Wash the dog (actually – maybe don’t wash any animals in the middle of food preparation!). The idea is to let your mix come up to room temperature. It will make for a far more successful whip.

1. Pour Some (but not too much!) Sugar on Me

The mix has been beaten and the sugar awaits. But don’t pour it all in! Add the caster sugar one tablespoon at a time. This encourages a smooth mix.

1. Don’t Rush at The Final Hurdle

Congratulations. You have been remarkably patient up to now. You have whipped your mix to perfection and baked your pavlova in the oven. You’ve had a little sneaky peek and boy does it look good! You just want to fling open the oven door and grab it right out of there. DON’T! Turn the oven off and leave the oven door slightly open. We need that bad boy to cool down slowly. The last thing we need is a big crack and a deflated pavlova!

1. Steamy Windows

Superman has Lex Luther. Spider-Man has the Green Goblin. Neo has Agent Smith. So, what is the enemy of pavlova? Humidity. Avoid anything giving off heat like boiling kettles or steaming pots.  Run away from rainy days, throbbing dishwashers or anything that, err, gives off steam!