Rhubarb & Rose Pavlova

1) Preheat the oven to 150°C/130°C fan/gas 2.

2) In a very clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks.

3) Still whisking, gradually add the caster sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until completely combined - the mixture should form stiff peaks, be bright white and glossy.

4) Spread the meringue out evenly on a large, lined baking tray in a rectangular shape.

5) Place in the oven and gently bake for 60 - 75 minutes.

6) When the meringue is ready it should appear off-white in colour, have a few cracks, crispy on the outside but still a little gooey on the inside. Leave to completely cool.

For the rhubarb:

1) Preheat the oven to 120°C.

2) Chop the rhubarb into 5cm lengths and arrange in a single layer in a large baking dish.

3) In a small bowl combine the sugar, rose petal jelly and boiling water, whisk to dissolve and pour over the rhubarb. Cover with foil, place in the oven and cook for 15 minutes.

4) Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely, do not stir as this will break up the rhubarb.

5) Before serving, pour off the cooking liquid into a small pan and reduce to a syrup consistency. Set aside.

For the crystallised rose petals:

1) Remove the rose head from the stalk and gently separate out the petals. Lightly brush each petal with egg white and then toss in the caster sugar until completely coated.

2) Lay onto a cooling rack and allow to dry for 2 - 3 hours.

To serve:

1) Whisk together the cream, icing sugar and vanilla extract until thick and creamy.

2) Place your meringue on a serving platter, mound the cream mixture onto the middle, arrange the poached rhubarb onto the cream, drizzle with reserved syrup and scatter over the crystallised rose petals.