Pavlova that is crisp on the outside with a soft and chewy marshmallow-like centre. Topped with coulis, fresh fruit, Lindt chocolates and seasonal edible flowers this pavlova is perfect in every way.
With this recipe, I'm going to tell you how to make a wonderful showstopper dessert that will wow your dinner guests. There are step by step images and a video showing you how to create the best foolproof meringue for your pavlova.
I'll also give you ideas for toppings and decorations and I've done my best to answer all your questions so that you can make a perfect pavlova every single time.
Simple and Easy Recipe
This recipe is very simple and easy to recreate at home. Meringue is not at all difficult to master but it does require some time to bake and fully cool before the toppings are added.
Once you've nailed the basics, pavlova is an amazing dessert to have in your repertoire, make the meringue base and spread it with sweetened whipped double cream then go to town on the toppings.
Once you're confident making meringue discs you could try stacking two or more together to make a pavlova cake, take a look at my Summer Berry Pavlova for more inspiration.
The Best Meringue For Pavlova
For this pavlova, I've used The Meringue Girls Method, it's the best and least complicated recipe I've ever used for making meringue and it's totally foolproof!
The sugar is heated in the oven before being whisked into egg whites. Making the meringue this way ensures it has structure, staying crisp on the outside with a soft and chewy centre.
What You Need
- Egg Whites: Use large fresh, free-range eggs or buy a carton of egg whites. The most important thing is to weigh the whites according to the recipe below. One large egg white weighs approximately 40 grams.
- Caster Sugar (Superfine - US): You’ll use double the amount of caster sugar to egg whites so make sure this is weighed accurately too. Caster sugar is preferable because it dissolves quickly resulting in a glossy meringue that isn’t grainy.
- Double Cream (Whipping Cream): Double not single cream is used to whip into a thick cream to top the pavlova.
- Icing Sugar: To sweeten and stabilise the double cream.
- Vanilla Extract: To lightly flavour the cream. Use extract not essence.
- Fruit Coulis: I used store-bought but you could make your own using the recipe from my Summer Berry Pavlova.
- Fresh Fruit: Seasonal fresh fruit works best. Frozen fruit tends to be too watery and the juices seep into the meringue making it go soggy.
- Lindt Chocolates: Totally optional but lovely for an extra special dessert.
- Edible Flowers: Again, optional but they really do give the wow factor and finish the pavlova off so beautifully. I buy all my edible flowers from Maddocks Farm Organics.
How To Make A Perfect Pavlova Step By Step
STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 200ºC/ 180ºC Fan/ Gas 6/ 400º F
STEP 2: Line a baking tray with baking paper and add the caster sugar (superfine – US) put the tray in the oven for 7 minutes.
STEP 3: Meanwhile, measure the egg whites in a mixing bowl and whisk to soft peaks using a mixer or handheld electric whisk. Whisk slowly to begin with then increase the speed to medium until soft peaks form – about 5 minutes.
By now your sugar will be hot so you can remove it from the oven and add it to the whisked egg whites a spoonful at a time.
STEP 4: Keep whisking until the mixture is thick, glossy and bright white – about 7-9 minutes.
STEP 5: Turn your oven down to 100ºC/80ºC Fan/Gas 1/2/ 225ºF.
STEP 6: Check the mixture is done and all the sugar has dissolved by rubbing some of the mixture between your fingers. If you can feel any grain, continue to whisk for a couple more minutes until it feels completely smooth.
STEP 7: Use a dinner plate to trace a circle on your baking paper then take a teacup, mug or small bowl and trace another circle inside it. Flip the baking paper over (so the tracing doesn't transfer to the meringue) and secure it to the baking tray using a few dots of meringue mixture.
STEP 8: Dot tablespoonfuls of meringue mixture in a wreath shape onto the baking paper. Use the tracing as a guide. Pile the meringue up until you have no mixture left.
STEP 9: Make a well in the centre with the back of a spoon.
STEP 10: Put the baking tray in the oven and bake for 2 hours or until the meringue wreath can be easily lifted away from the baking paper.
Once baked, switch off the oven and leave the door open until the meringue is cool. Don’t be tempted to take it out and remove from the tray too early or it might break!
When the meringue is completely cool, lift it away from the baking paper and transfer it to your serving plate or cake stand.
At this stage, your wreath should be in one piece but it's normal to see a few cracks. You can cover any cracks when you add the toppings.
STEP 11: When you're ready to serve the pavlova, whip the double cream until it has only just thickened. The cream should be soft and pillowy but not so thin it runs off a spoon. Do the drop test by picking up a spoonful and dropping it back into the bowl. If it plops gently it’s whisked just right.
Add the icing sugar and vanilla extract to the whipped cream and fold in gently.
Spread the whipped cream onto the meringue base.
STEP 12: Add coulis using a teaspoon.
STEP 13: Add the fresh fruit and chocolates building up in layers as you go.
Finish with edible flowers and a sprinkling of icing sugar.
Meringue Top Tips
- Make sure your mixing bowl and utensils are spotlessly clean. I always wipe over my bowl and whisk with white vinegar. Any trace of grease in the bowl will deflate your meringue.
- A free-standing mixer/electric whisk is not essential but it will save you a LOT of arm ache. I have managed to whisk meringue mixture by hand but it took at least 4 times longer than using a mixer.
- When you separate the egg whites from the yolks make sure there is no trace of yolk or eggshell in the whites.
- Crack the eggs into your clean hand and let the whites slip through your fingers – you will catch the yolk in your palm and it will stay intact.
- If you do find eggshell in the whites the easiest way to remove it is by scooping it out using a larger piece of eggshell.
- Don’t add the sugar until the egg whites are at stiff peaks or you’ll deflate the mixture. You want to get as much air into the mixture as possible.
- In the final stages of making meringue keep mixing until the meringue is completely smooth when felt between your fingers. The bowl will feel much cooler to the touch on the outside and the meringue will look bright white, thick and glossy.
Pavlova FAQS
A collapsed meringue usually happens when the meringue has been taken out of the oven too early. Once baked, leave the meringue in the oven with the door ajar until it's cooled. I often bake my meringues in the evening then leave them in the oven to cool all night.
It's normal to have some cracks. If it's falling apart or completely collapsed follow the advice above.
The meringue base will keep in an airtight container stored in a cool dry place for 2 weeks. However, once the pavlova has had the cream and fruit added it is best eaten on the same day. Any leftover pavlova should be stored in the fridge where it will keep for 2 days.
If you follow this recipe, the outside of the pavlova will be crisp on the outside and soft and chewy in the centre. However, if you live somewhere very hot and humid then the meringue can go sticky as soon as it's exposed to the environment.
Your oven is probably too hot. Use an oven thermometer to determine your oven is operating at the correct heat. Brown meringue can also be caused by using golden caster sugar instead of regular caster sugar.
The meringue will feel dry when touched and will very easily peel away from the baking paper when it is properly cooked.
Yes! Pavlova has a crisp outer shell and a soft and marshmallow-like inside.
Weeping pavlova is undissolved sugar leaking from the meringue during baking. Remember to use caster sugar because it dissolves quickly resulting in a smooth and glossy mixture. Rub the meringue mixture between your fingers to ensure the sugar has completely dissolved before you bake the meringue.
A Note From Amy
Within minutes of publishing this recipe, someone messaged me to essentially tell me that this isn't pavlova because it doesn't have any acid...
So, what is is the difference between meringue and pavlova?
Well, meringue is egg whites and sugar whereas to achieve pavlova recipes usually call for some sort of acid in the form of lemon juice, cream of tartar or vinegar.
With this particular pavlova recipe, I've kept the meringue ingredients REEEEAAAALLY simple. Using the method of heating the sugar before it's whipped into the egg whites makes the pavlova base lovely and crisp on the outside and marshmallowy in the centre.
So I'm calling it a pavlova. Because this is my blog, and I can HA!
If you want to try and add some acid for an extra marshmallow middle, be my guest. Go ahead and add ½ teaspoon of cream of tartar or 1 teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice.
You could also add a teaspoon of cornstarch if you want to play around with the recipe.
But honestly? I don't think it needs it.
More Tempting Pavlova and Meringue Recipes
How To Make A Perfect Pavlova
Crisp on the outside marshmallowy in the middle. Topped with pillowy soft vanilla whipped cream, coulis, fresh fruit, chocolate and edible flowers - this pavlova is perfect in every way.
Ingredients
For the pavlova
- 300 g caster sugar, superfine - US
- 150 g egg whites, fresh and free-range
Toppings and decoration
- 300 ml double cream
- 2 tbsp icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp fruit coulis
- 250 g Fresh fruit, strawberries, blackberries, redcurrants, figs
- 8 Lindt chocolates
- edible flowers
- 1 tbsp icing sugar, to dust
Instructions
To Make The Pavlova Meringue
- Preheat the oven to 200ºC/ 180ºC Fan/ Gas 6/ 400º F.
- Line a baking tray with baking paper and add the caster sugar, put the tray in the oven for 7 minutes.
- Meanwhile, measure the egg whites in a mixing bowl and whisk to soft peaks using a mixer or handheld electric whisk. Whisk slowly to begin with then increase the speed to medium until soft peaks form – about 5 minutes.
- By now your sugar will be hot so you can remove it from the oven and add it to the whisked egg whites a spoonful at a time.
- Keep whisking until the mixture is thick, glossy and bright white – about 7-9 minutes.
- Turn your oven down to 100ºC/80ºC Fan/Gas 1/2/ 225ºF.
- Check the mixture is done and all the sugar has dissolved by rubbing some of the mixture between your fingers. If you can feel any grain, continue to whisk for a couple more minutes until it feels completely smooth.
- Use a dinner plate to trace a circle on your baking paper then take a teacup, mug or small bowl and trace another circle inside it. Flip the baking paper over (so the tracing doesn't transfer to the meringue) and secure it to the baking tray using a few dots of meringue mixture.
- Dot tablespoonfuls of meringue mixture in a wreath shape onto the baking paper. Use the tracing as a guide. Pile the meringue up until you have no mixture left.
- Make a well in the centre with the back of a spoon.
- Put the baking tray in the oven and bake for 2 hours or until the meringue wreath can be easily lifted away from the baking paper.
- Once baked, switch off the oven and leave the door open until the meringue is cool. Don’t be tempted to take it out and remove from the tray too early or it might break!
- When the meringue is completely cool, lift it away from the baking paper and transfer it to your serving plate or cake stand.
To Decorate
- When you're ready to serve, whip the double cream until it has only just thickened. The cream should be soft and pillowy but not so thin it runs off a spoon. Do the drop test by picking up a spoonful and dropping it back into the bowl. If it plops gently it’s whisked just right.
- Add the icing sugar and vanilla extract to the whipped cream and fold in gently.
- Spread the whipped cream onto the meringue base.
- Add coulis using a teaspoon.
- Add the fresh fruit and chocolates building up in layers until you reach your desired effect.
- Finish with edible flowers and a sprinkling of icing sugar.
- Serve immediately - best enjoyed as soon as it's made.
Notes
- Read the tips above to achieve the best meringue so that your pavlova turns out perfectly.
- Don't forget to turn your oven down as soon as you take the sugar out.
- It's a good idea to make the pavlova base the day before you're going to serve it, then it will have plenty of time to dry out in the oven and completley cool.
- You could make the pavlova base 2 weeks in advance as long as it's stored in an airtight container and kept in a cool, dry place.
- Don't decorate your pavlova until you' re ready to serve. This dessert is best enjoyed as soon as it's made as eventually, the cream and fruit will make the meringue soggy.
- Leftover pavlova will keep for 2 days in the fridge but bear in mind it might go soggy.
- Pavlova does not freeze well.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 315Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 9gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 51mgSodium: 47mgCarbohydrates: 46gFiber: 1gSugar: 44gProtein: 3g
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