Flick the spoon for effect on the sides. Keep piling mixture up on the sides, smoothing the bottom a little. Keep mixture within a 10-inch circle. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. but, as soon as you've put the Pavlova into the oven, turn down the temperature control to 250-275 degrees. Pavlova should be ever so slightly golden, not amber.
Some people prefer it to be plain white.
The object is to dry the mixture, not to cook it. After 1 hour, turn the oven off. Let the Pavlova sit in the turned off oven for another hour or until cooled. Remove paper, if used, and store in an airtight container. Fill with whipped cream and top with fresh strawberries or fruit of your choice.