Berry Pavlova
This dessert is the perfect combination of sweet meringue, rich whipped cream, and refreshing fresh fruit, and it is a definite showstopper!
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!
