A winning combination of meringue, fruit and cream, the Pavlova was created in honour of the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova during one of her tours. The true origin of the dessert is a contentious topic, and both Australia and New Zealand lay claim to the Pavlova as one of their national dishes. Whatever its origins, a generously loaded Pavlova is the perfect dessert for looking impressive but actually being quite simple to prepare.

This collection of Pavlova recipes is full of fruity inspiration, whether you're looking for dainty desserts or showstopping centrepieces. Helen Jessup's strawberry Pavlova recipe is laced with Pimm's to make a wonderfully British summer dessert, while Victoria Glass' Black Forest Pavlova reinvents the classic German pudding in lighter meringue form. Karen Burns Booth's Spanische Windtorte is a large Pavlova cake, or for the perfect individual dessert try Tom Aikens' Mini Pavlova with lime curd and fresh fruit.