Nigella Lawson's lemon pavlova is the perfect 'showstopper dessert'

's lemon pavlova recipe is an absolute "showstopper" according to fans. The TV chef shared the recipe in her 2015 book Simply Nigella, and has since added it to her website. She wrote: "Ever since my first pav in How To Eat, I have been something of a pavaholic. For me, acidity is key. So naturally, a lemon pavlova made perfect sense."

Fans have been left delighted with this recipe, with one writing: "This is a showstopper dessert! Our guests raved how deliciously light this dessert was and demanded a second piece!" While another penned: " Very impressive and elegant desert. Served this to my in-laws, and they were very pleased. The meringue base adds a nice crunch to this dessert."

Ingredients (Creates 8-12 slices)

• Six large egg whites
• 375g of caster sugar
• Two and a half teaspoons of cornflour
• Two unwaxed lemons
• 50g of flaked almonds
• 300ml of double cream
• 325g of lemon curd (either store-bought or homemade is fine)

Method

Start by pre-heating your oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas mark 4 and line a baking tray with baking parchment.

Beat the egg whites until satiny peaks appear, then beat in the sugar a spoonful at a time until the meringue is stiff and shiny. Sprinkle the cornflour over the meringue, then grate in the zest of one lemon - for this, Nigella recommends using a fine microplane.

Add two teaspoons of lemon juice. Gently fold until everything is mixed in. Place on the lined baking tray in a circle approximately 23cm in diameter. Smooth the sides and top and place in the oven. Immediately turn the temperature down to 150°C/130°C Fan/gas mark 2 and leave for one hour.

Once the hour is up, remove the meringue from the oven and leave to cool. However, do not place it anywhere too cold, as this will make it crack. If your kitchen is particularly cold, Nigella suggests leaving the oven inside but with the door completely open.

When it's nearly time to serve, turn the pavlova onto a large flat plate or board with the underside uppermost. Nigella writes: "I do this before I sit down to the meal in question and let it stand till pudding time. This is so the tender marshmallow belly of the pav melds with the soft topping."

Toast the almonds by frying them in a dry pan over a medium to high heat until they have started to colour. Shake the pan at regular intervals so they don't burn; this should only take a minute or so. Once finished, remove to a cold plate.

Whip the cream until thick and airy but still with a "soft voluptuousness" about it. Then set aside until it's time to add it to the pavlova. Place the lemon curd in a bowl and beat until it has loosened slightly. Taste and add some lemon zest and a spritz of juice if it's too sweet.

Then, using a spatula, lightly spread the lemon curd onto the meringue base. Top with the whipped cream and peak it as though it were a meringue top. Sprinkle with the zest of the remaining lemon before adding the flaked almonds. Serve immediately.