Ingredients
6 egg whites 
300g caster sugar 
1 tsp cornflour 
1½ tsp white wine vinegar 
250g mascarpone  
1 tbsp icing sugar  
1 tbsp orange liqueur 
250ml whipping cream 
150g pistachio kernels 
150g pomegranate seeds or 1 whole pomegranate

Method
Heat the oven to 150c.  If you have a stand mixer use this, otherwise an electric whisk is best.  You can do this freehand but it will take much longer and your arm will be extremely tired. As long as all of your equipment is completely spotless you will have no trouble with the egg whites increasing in volume. 

Beat the egg whites for 3-5 minutes until they form soft peaks (this just means until the egg whites are white rather than translucent and if you take a spoon, dip in and slowly pull out, the egg white will hold the shape for a moment before disappearing). Add the sugar, a spoonful at a time, beating after each spoonful for around 10 seconds. When all of the sugar is incorporated then whisk for a few minutes more, they will now be thick and glossy and will be holding their shape with the spoon test (at the stiff peak stage).  Add the cornflour and white wine vinegar and whisk for 1 more minute.

Here you have the choice whether to make a wreath which is perfect for Christmas or individual pavlovas. Either way, line a baking tray either with a silpat mat or with non-stick parchment paper. (I find baking paper sometimes sticks to meringues.) 

If making individual pavlovas take a serving spoon and, taking a spoonful of meringue, put onto the lined tray and gently put a small dip into the top (this is for the cream to sit). If you want smaller canapé size just use a smaller spoon. 

If you are going for a wreath then the easiest thing to do is to turn the greaseproof paper over and draw a circle around a large dinner plate. Then take a saucer and put in the middle of your circle and drawer around this. Turn the paper back over. Your wreath doesn’t have to be bound by those sizes (for instance your plate sizes might mean the wreath is too skinny) but it’s a good start, you can then make a little bigger/fatter etc to suit you. With a large serving spoon, spoon large, equal amounts of the meringue mix in your circles along to form a wreath shape.  

Put the meringue in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 120°C. Cook for 1½ hours and then turn off the oven and leave the wreath in the oven to cool completely (a couple of hours or overnight). Now it’s worth saying here that I would set my timer on my phone. I would also check how they are looking after the first half an hour and again at the hour mark. When cooked, turn off your oven, open it a few cm and leave the pavlova for a few hours in the oven to go completely cold.

When you are ready to serve, make the orange mascarpone cream.  Mix the mascarpone and icing sugar for a few seconds in your stand mixer to slacken it. Then add the orange liqueur and mix on high until thick, this will take a few minutes only. I find that by the time I look and think it’s starting to look thick is when I turn off because by the point my brain kicks in and I actually turn off my mixer it’s perfect. If you turn off the mixer and it’s not quite there just take your whisk attachment off of the stand mixer and finish by hand. Don’t over beat or your cream will go lumpy. 

To assemble, you want to lightly crush your pistachios - and not all equally. If you have a whole pomegranate you need to deseed. For the pomegranate, cut in half and grab a bowl and hold the pomegranate firmly over the bowl, cut side down and whack hard with your rolling pin repeatedly. After a few bashes the pomegranate seeds will start to rain down into the bowl and the white bitter pith should largely stay behind. If there is any, just remove and discard.

Take your cool meringue and put your orange cream over the top. Decorate the top with the beautiful green pistachios and bright beautiful jewelled pomegranate seeds. Dust with icing sugar.