Banana Pavlova Trifle

Serves: 8
Prep: 40 mins
Cooking: 75 mins

Ingredients
2 cups (500ml) mango nectar
½ cup caster sugar
4 tsp gelatin powder
12 passionfruit, halved
8 Bananas (Lady Finger)
250g mascarpone
¼ cup icing sugar
1 cup (250g) thick vanilla custard
300ml thickened cream, whipped
Little pavlovas
4 egg whites
1 cup caster sugar

Method
To make the little pavlovas; preheat oven to 100°C fan forced. Line two baking trays with baking paper. Draw 6 x 10cm circles on one piece of paper. Turn the paper over so pencil mark facing down.
Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form. Reduce speed to medium. Add sugar, 1 spoon at a time, beating constantly until meringue is thick and glossy. Spoon or pipe 24 little meringue onto the second tray. Spoon the remaining meringue onto the rounds to fill the circles. Bake both trays for 60 – 75 mins or until they feel crisp and dry on the surface. Turn the oven off and leave the oven door ajar for 2 hours.
Meanwhile, whisk mango nectar, sugar and gelatine together in a medium saucepan to combine. Place over medium heat, heat for 4 minutes until hot, not boiling. Set aside for 10 minutes. Remove the pulp from the passionfruit. Spoon 2 tablespoons into a bowl, cover and refrigerate. Strain the remaining passionfruit, pressing down on the seeds to remove as much juice as possible, you should have 150ml. Discard the seeds. Stir the passionfruit juice into the mango mixture. Pour into 7 cup capacity trifle bowl. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours or until set.
Peel 6 bananas and slice into rounds. Arrange over jelly. Break the pavlovas into large pieces, arrange over the banana. Gently stir the mascarpone and icing sugar together. Fold through the custard and cream. Spoon over the Pavlova. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Just before serving, peel and slice remaining bananas. Arrange the little meringues and banana slices over the trifle. Drizzle with reserved passionfruit. Serve.

Tips

To save time, replace home-made pavlova with 150g store bough meringues or pavlova.
On a hot summer's day, place the mixing bowl and beaters into the freezer for 15 minutes to get cold before whipping the cream.