Christmas Pavlova Wreath

1. Heat the oven to 140°C/Fan 120°C/Gas 1. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Draw a 30cm-wide circle on it. Inside the circle, draw a 23cm-wide circle to create a ‘wreath’ shape.

2. Tip the chocolate buttons into a heatproof bowl. Microwave for 10-15 secs, stir, and repeat till the chocolate has melted. Alternatively, pop the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set it over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Gently warm till the chocolate has melted. Set aside.

3. Separate the eggs and add the whites to a large, clean mixing bowl. Whisk for 4-5 mins with electric beaters till stiff peaks form. Gradually whisk in 350g sugar, a spoonful at a time, till fully incorporated. The mixture should be glossy. Rub a little bit of the mix between your fingers. If it feels grainy, keep whisking till the sugar has dissolved.

4. Add 2 tsp lemon juice from the lemon and whisk for 1 min. Pour in the melted chocolate and use a spatula to gently fold it in – 3-4 turns should create a marbled effect.

5. Spoon the meringue into your wreath shape, using the circles you drew as a guide. Slide into the oven. Bake for 1 hr–1 hr 15 mins till golden. Try not to open the oven, which will help prevent the pavlova from cracking.

6. When the pavlova is done, turn off the oven and leave it there overnight to firm up. The following day, remove from the oven and carefully transfer to a serving plate.

7. To assemble the wreath, pour the cream into a large bowl. Finely grate in the zest from the clementines. Add 25g sugar and whisk till you have soft peaks.

8. Peel the zested skin off the clementines. Separate the segments of one. Slice the other two into large rounds.

9. Use a vegetable peeler to peel the papaya. Slice in half and scoop out the seeds. Use the peeler to peel the outer part into long ribbons. Roughly chop the deep orange, inner part. Peel the kiwis. Slice into half moons.

10. Spoon the cream over the top of the meringue. Arrange the fruit on top. Serve within 1 hr, keeping the pavlova chilled. The pavlova is best eaten on the day it’s made but it’ll keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. The meringue will soften the longer it’s kept.