Lavender Pavlova

Preheat the oven to 110°C and line a 23cm baking tray with foil.

Whisk the egg whites until frothy, add the cream of tartar and continue to whisk to stiff peaks. Add 15ml (1 tbsp) castor sugar at a time, while whisking continuously, until all of the sugar has been added. You should have a thick and glossy meringue. Fold in the vanilla seeds and half of the lavender buds.

Spoon the Pavlova onto the prepared tray and, using a spatula, shape into a round nest. Sprinkle over the remaining lavender buds and bake in the preheated oven until the meringue nest is crisp on the outside and peels easily off the foil, about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave to cool inside.

Whip the cream to stiff peaks, fold in the icing sugar and spoon into the centre of the meringue nest. Top with fresh figs to serve.