Cute nutty nests packed with cream, fruit and chocolate eggs make a great Easter dessert and are hard to resist. Make these mini pavlovas (slightly) more healthy with extra fruit, or give in to the treat of the holiday and pile on the mini eggs.

1. Meringue, like cake, seems to notice if you’re in a hurry or a bad mood, so be warned. Whisk the egg white – at room temperature and free from any bits of yolk – until foamy and then slowly, one spoonful at a time, add the sugar, whisking as you go. (Dumping all the sugar in at once will cause the meringue to split.)
2. Once the sugar is incorporated, add a teaspoon of cornflour and gradually add in the hazelnuts. Dollop 2 tablespoonfuls per ‘nest’ onto a sheet of greaseproof paper on a baking tray (you may need more than one tray) and form into shape, making a dip in the centre of each one to resemble a nest (you can also pipe the meringue to shape).
3. Bake in a pre-heated oven (140°C or Gas 2) for 30 minutes and then turn off the heat and leave to cool before removing the meringues. Slow cooling will stop them cracking as they dry out. They will keep for several days in an airtight tin, so can be made in advance.
4. Whip the cream to soft peaks then – once the meringues are cool – spoon or pipe cream into the centre of each nest. Decorate with fruit and/or mini eggs.

• 4 eggs, separated
• 200g sugar
• 1 tsp cornflour
• 75g chopped (or ground) roasted hazelnuts (optional)
• 300ml double cream
• 100g fruit – raspberries / strawberries / pomegranate seeds
• 1 pack mini eggs