You're my honey bunch, sugar plum, pumpie umpy umpkin...you're my sweetie pie

It's the perfect dessert: with a crispy crust and a light marshmallowy inside.

If I were a summer girl, this would be my birthday cake:

 The Pavlova recipe is originally from New Zeland.

The dessert was named after the Russian ballet dancer Anna Pavlova.

A hotel chef in Wellington created that dish when Pavlova visited as part of her world tour in 1926.

Since then there are hundreds of different versions of this sweet dessert.

Professor Helen Leach, who studied the history of food, collected 667 pavlova recipes.

But there is one that I consider my ultimate favourite.

The Nigella Lawson's pavlova from her book "How to eat".

Well, of course everyone makes some small changes according to their sweet tooth.

It's so awesome that I had to share it with you.

Here is the recipe:

4 egg whites (room temperature)

0,25 teaspoon of salt

200 grams of sugar (I took a little less)

2 tablespoons of cornstarch (I replaced it with potatostarch)

1 teaspoon of white wine vinegar (I was out and sceptical about balsamic vinegar so I used fresh lemon juice)

A few drops of vanilla extract (I used a little of vanilla sugar instead)

Whipped cream and fruit of your choice.

So, I also altered the temperatures according to my unpredictable oven and preheated it to 160ºC instead of 180. Next you have to beat the egg whites until satiny peaks form and then beat in the sugar a spoonful at a time until the meringue is shiny and stiff (a trick: turn the bowl 180º and if your meringue won't drip you're ok). Sprinkle with starch, vinegar and vanilla and stir through gently. Pour the meringue onto a baking sheet in a circle and smooth the sides and the top.Place in the oven and immediately reduce the oven heat to 150 º C (or 130º in my case). Bake for 1 hour. Try to restrain your excitement and do not open the oven door or it will begin to crack.

After 1 hour had passed I turned off the oven and allowed the cake to coolio-cool down.

When you're ready to serve, turn the pavlova upside down (then your cream will merge with the meringue). Whisk the cream and pile it on top of the meringue, then scatter over the strawberries (Nigella used passion fruit only. "Don't be tempted to add other fruit" she said). In my oppinion strawberries, meringue and whipped cream is a match made in heaven and as they say: "The best things in life come in threes" (Fact: 69% of people can find something dirty in every sentence. Hey, just saying.)

This is the second time that I've made pavlova.

The first time was two years ago and it was such a catastrophe that I was scared of making another...until today. I am so glad about that. What a great reward to youself for getting rid of your fobias- a nice (read: large!!!) piece of pavlova.

I hope this encourages you to try it.

(Note: The picture in this post is a result of googling. I was too excited to taste my own pavlova that I could not stop for a second and take a few pictures. When you'll be making one yourself, you'll understand what I'm saying)