Brown butter shortbread pavlova with Champagne-poached peaches

For shortbread, cook butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat, swirling pan, until foaming and nut brown (3-4 minutes). Pour into a heatproof container and refrigerate to firm (1 hour). Dice 140gm butter (there will be a little left over, which you can keep or discard) and bring to room temperature (30 minutes – 1 hour). Beat brown butter, icing sugar and vanilla seeds in an electric mixer until pale and fluffy (3 minutes). Add flour and beat until a crumbly dough forms (30 seconds). Turn onto a lightly floured bench and bring dough together with the heel of your hand. Form dough into a 10cm x 7cm x 2.5cm rectangle, wrap in plastic and refrigerate to rest (1 hour).

To bake shortbread, preheat oven to 160°C fan-forced. Cut shortbread into 1.5cm fingers and place about 2cm apart on a large oven tray lined with baking paper. Bake until light golden (20 minutes). Cool completely, then pulse in a food processor until crumbs form. Crumbs will keep in airtight container for 1 week.

For pavlova, reduce oven to 110°C. Trace a 22cm-diameter circle on a piece of baking paper and place pencil-side down on a lightly oiled oven tray. Whisk egg whites, lemon juice and a pinch of salt in an electric mixer on medium speed to soft peaks (4-5 minutes). With motor running, gradually add sugar, 1 tbsp at a time, until sugar dissolves (20 minutes). Increase speed to medium-high and whisk until firm and glossy (2-3 minutes). Add cornflour and whisk to combine (10 seconds. Transfer to bowl, scatter over 150gm shortbread crumbs (reserve remaining), gently fold through to swirl (don’t overmix as meringue will lose volume). Pile onto tray within circle, forming peaks and swirls. Place in oven, and bake until crisp but not coloured (1¼-1½ hours). Turn off heat and cool completely in oven with door closed (at least 6 hours or overnight). Pavlova will keep in airtight container for 1 day.

Meanwhile, for Champagne peaches, stir Champagne, sugar, thyme, vanilla pod and seeds, lemon zest and half bay leaves in a saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Simmer for 4 minutes, then add peaches and simmer until just tender (6-8 minutes). Remove from heat; cool peaches in poaching liquid to room temperature (1 hour). Discard bay leaves. Transfer peaches to a container. Strain poaching syrup into a clean saucepan, add remaining bay leaves, bring to the boil over medium-high heat and simmer until reduced to 250ml syrup (13-15 minutes). Stir in vinegar, cool briefly, pour over peaches and refrigerate until required.

Whisk cream, crème fraîche and sugar in bowl until medium-stiff peaks. Transfer pavlova to platter, top with whipped cream, peaches and extra herbs. Scatter with shortbread crumb and drizzle with syrup to serve.