Method (Video):

(Scroll down further if you just want to read the method in written form)

Method:

Whip Some Double Cream

Double cream is the really rich stuff - upward of 40% butterfat, but lighter creams than this will be softer when whipped - and thus difficult to apply.

Whip the cream until it starts to stiffen, then add some icing sugar (1 tablespoon sugar per 300ml cream) and a dash of vanilla extract. Continue whipping until really thick - stop just as the surface 'breaks'.

Whip One Egg White

Separate an egg white (crack the egg in half and, over a bowl, pass the yolk back and forth between the two shells, spilling the white into the bowl) - set the yolk aside and add it to another recipe - for example, to add extra richness to a sponge cake.

Whisk the egg white until it turns white, but is still like a soft, liquid foam. Add two tablespoons of icing sugar and whip again just to combine it into the egg white - the result should be something spoon-able.

Assemble The Pavlova Pops

Stick a strawberry on a stick or fork, spread it with a thin layer of whipped cream. Roll it gently in a spoonful of the whipped egg white, then sprinkle it with s little more icing sugar (my icing sugar went a bit lumpy in the cupboard, but actually, that was perfect for this recipe, as it added a crunchy texture to the outside.

Toast the outside of the assembled Pavlova Pop with a small blowtorch or other small gas flame. It might be possible to do this over a small dish of flaming brandy (but be careful!). Keep it quick, or the cream will melt and the whole thing will collapse.

Wait for the sugar on the outside to cool down a little before eating.

There's really no way to make these in advance, so I think this is an interactive activity - make one, eat one - might be a fun dessert for a group if there's no hurry and coffee and conversation is also happening.

Pavlova

I wasn't absolutely sure whether I should call this Pavlova anything, as I am aware that Pavlova is a thing that people get quite precious about - although many subtle variants exist, I know there are purists who consider their version the One And Only Pavlova.

But I haven't done anything very unconventional to the recipe here - just altered the presentation. So Pavlova Pops it is.

Technical Difficulties

The little strawberries I used for this were tender and truly delicious, but they didn't quite have the mechanical strength to stay on the stick - so maybe slightly larger, firmer ones would work better (although at a cost - because the little ones do just melt in the mouth).