A Summery Dessert…or is it?
Pavlova tends to be classified as a summer dessert. Why? Well, we love to top it with berries, which are at their ripest and most delicious in the summertime. It is the perfect dessert for a big gathering of friends/family, which usually takes place when the weather is nicer. We definitely agree with this, as it’s mid-June when we are posting this recipe, and truly nothing sounds better than this delicious dessert. However, if you have ever made pavlova in the summer, you’ll know that it doesn’t do too well in high humidity. It begins to go a bit soft and can even weep some moisture as it is left sitting out. So, perhaps it should be rebranded as a cooler weather dessert?
Today’s Recipe
Regardless of what season it is when you choose to make this, it is simply a delicious centerpiece for any table! Now, pavlova actually originated in Australia and New Zealand, and we can’t claim any connection to Scandinavia with this one, sorry! We simply wanted to share this dessert because it is delicious and beautiful.
After baking, the meringue on the bottom gets nice and crispy on the outside while remaining soft and marshmallowy on the inside. We top ours with whipped cream (we like ours unsweetened, for the Americans who are reading this!) and fruit that we have mixed with a bit of sugar. You can really use any fruit you like, which makes this super customizable. We went for berries, since it’s summer, but I think mango or kiwi would also be perfect. This dessert is the perfect combination of sweet meringue, rich whipped cream, and refreshing fresh fruit, and it is a definite showstopper!
Tips and Tricks
Now, what is most important about making a pavlova is the egg whites. You have to whip them until they reach stiff peaks, while adding sugar slowly so that it dissolves. We typically start adding sugar as soon as the egg whites go a bit frothy, and only add a spoonful at a time, very slowly! This can take some patience, but it really does make a big difference. Make sure you whip until stiff peaks, or your meringue will not come out crispy on the outside and soft on the inside! You can also add a stabilizer, like lemon juice or cream of tartar, which will help the egg whites whip into a stable mixture.
When we shape the pavlova (pre-baking), we make a little indentation on top for the whipped cream and fruit. This may cause a small crack to form on top of the meringue base, but don’t worry too much about it! We think it helps stabilize the pavlova, and you really can’t see it once the showstopper is complete. When baking the pavlova, patience is key. You have to let it cool slowly, for some time in the oven with the door cracked open, as this helps with the final texture. Finally, remember to eat/serve the pavlova immediately, because it does start to get soft after a few hours. We hope these tips help you and we hope you try out this beautiful dessert!
Berry Pavlova
Ingredients
MERINGUE
- 4 egg whites from large eggs
- 200 grams (1 cup) granulated sugar (corresponds to about 50g or 1/4 cup per egg white from one egg)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- A splash of lemon juice (you can also use a small amount of cream of tartar as the stabilizer)
WHIPPED CREAM
- 360 ml (1.5 cups) heavy whipping cream
- 1-2 tsp granulated sugar (optional – we do not sweeten our whipped cream, but feel free to add a little sugar if you would like!)
- Splash of vanilla extract
FRUIT TOPPING
- 110 grams (1 cup) raspberries
- 125 grams (1 cup) blackberries
- 135 grams (1 cup) strawberries, quartered or halved
- 1-2 tbsp granulated sugar (feel free to add less sugar if your berries are in season!)
- Splash of lemon juice
- Mint leaves (optional, for garnish!)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 220 F (100 C).
- Separate the egg whites from the yolks using your preferred method. We usually use the method of passing the egg yolk between two halves of the shell until the egg white falls into a bowl below. Save the egg yolks for a different recipe! It's important that no egg yolk get in the bowl of egg white, as this could prevent the meringue from whipping properly.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (a totally clean bowl, with no oil/residue anywhere, as this could affect the egg whites whipping properly as well) with the whisk attachment, add your egg whites and a splash of lemon juice (you can also use some cream of tartar as the stabilizer instead). Start whipping until your egg whites look frothy.
- Add in your vanilla extract. Slowly add your sugar one tablespoon at a time while the mixer is running. If you add it too quickly, the sugar will not dissolve and it will end up grainy!
- Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally, so there are no sugar crystals around the edge.
- Once all the sugar has been added, keep whisking until you have reached stiff peaks – this can take a little while! Note: if your mixture is underwhipped, it will remain liquidy, but not split. If your mixture ever splits or separates or looks curdled, you have likely overmixed your egg whites, and there is no coming back from that – start over with new eggs!
- Once the mixture has reached stiff peaks, prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add a little meringue underneath each corner of the paper to stick it to the baking sheet for easier pavlova shaping!
- Add the meringue to the middle of the baking sheet. Shape the meringue into a large circle (about 8-9" in diameter). We build up the sides higher than the center to make a bit of a well in the middle for the whipped cream to sit (this may result in a little bit of cracking along the top of the ridge!).
- We also like to swirl a palette knife along the edges to make a wavy pattern!
- Once the circle has been shaped, bake for 90 minutes on the center rack. If the edges are solidly set and crispy on the outside, you can turn off the oven! In an ideal world, you wouldn't open the oven at all as this can cause the meringue to crack or fall. Leave the pavlova in the oven to cool down slowly for at least one hour, preferably 2.
- After a few hours, crack open the oven door and let it cool for another 30 minutes to an hour with the door open.
- Take the pavlova out of the oven. You may experience cracking along the top of the ridge as mentioned before, but if the sides are crispy and baked through, it will have the correct marshmallow texture on the inside and crispy edges!
- Prepare your berries by washing them thoroughly and quartering or halving the strawberries. Add to a medium sized mixing bowl.
- Add sugar, and lemon juice to the berries; mix to combine. Let the berries sit while you make whipped cream.
- To make whipped cream, add heavy whipping cream to the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl. Add sugar (if you would like, we usually don't!) and a splash of vanilla extract.
- Whisk for a few minutes until you reach soft peaks. And yes, you can do this by hand with a handheld whisk, it just may take a while longer!
- Assemble the pavlova by transferring the meringue to your serving dish/plate. Spoon over the whipped cream into the well.
- Top with the berry mixture.
- Garnish with mint leaves if you would like!
- Best enjoyed immediately after assembling. We've found that it will keep for a few days in the fridge, although it may get a little bit weepy/watery. Enjoy!
