Day 248: life’s lemons

When life gives you lemons, or a not quite right but still squidgy and deeply good chocolate meringue, you make the best of it: Day 248 is (or at least it should have been if it weren't for a dodgy oven) Nigella’s Chocolate Raspberry Pavlova; here, the meringue broken up and folded blissfully into the whipped cream with the raspberries and added chopped pistachios.

After some deductive conversationing on Twitter and careful analysis of all the hints and tips from you lovely followers, I think it’s obvious that my oven is on the blink. I mean, it makes perfect sense - I’ve not really enjoyed baking the entire time we’ve lived in this house, with this oven (not that I’ve ever been overly fond of it, mind!). I have zero stress when it comes to roasting or casserole making; I feel they are much more forgiving to having the oven door opened and closed while they’re cooking. And, yes, the utensils and bowl were completely free from grease and I’ve checked the oven with a thermometer: it’s inconsistent and often 20-30degs out!.

As my cast iron casserole collection is my witness, I will never make another pav in this oven. (At least until I’ve had it looked at by a pro.) Baking Day is always a stressful day in this house - my husband spends the day walking around on eggshells - so I think it’s probably best for all involved that I keep to this oath.

The recipe for Nigella’s Chocolate Raspberry Pavlova can be found on p189 of Summer and on nigella.com (link below).