Easy Pavlova Recipe - with Variations!
Pavlova is one of my favourite desserts ever - crunchy meringue that’s marshmallowy inside, whipped cream, and fruit. This Pavlova recipe is easy to make, and highly customizable!
Servings: 6 People
Calories: 322kcal
Equipment
- Parchment Paper
- Baking Sheet
Ingredients
- 4 Large egg whites
- 1 cup Super fine / castor sugar *
- Pinch Salt
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract **
- 2 teaspoon White vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Cornstarch
- 1 ¼ cup Heavy cream
- ½-1 Vanilla extract**
- 1-2 tablespoon Granulated Sugar optional
- Fresh Fruits & Berries **
Instructions
- Get ready: Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Remove eggs from fridge, separate the egg whites, and allow to warm to room temp (about 5 minutes). Line a baking sheet with a sheet of parchment paper, and set aside. Fit your electric mixer with the whisk attachment.
- In your mixing bowl (if using an electric hand mixer) or in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat egg whites together with salt - on high speed - until glossy, soft peaks form.
- Lower speed down to around a low - medium speed. Slowly add the sugar - a little bit at a time - to the egg white mixture, and continue whipping until stiff peaks form. Turn off mixer, remove bowl.
- Sprinkle vanilla**, vinegar, and cornstarch over meringue, gently fold in till combined.
- Heap meringue mixture onto the center of your baking sheet. Use a rubber spatula to spread the meringue out to approximately an 8-9 inch circle.
- Put the sheet pan into your hot oven, and turn the temperature down to 250 degrees.
- Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes.
- Once your timer goes off, turn the oven off and let the meringue cool in the oven for several hours.
- Just before serving, whip the heavy cream. I like my pavlovas a little sweeter, so I add about 2 tablespoon of sugar – add as much or as little as you want. Purists may not want to sweeten the cream at all! I also like to add a little flavoring, again – optional
- Mound the whipped cream on your pavlova, and top with fresh fruits. Serve immediately!
Video
Notes
See the post for a TON of information on customizing this, and how to best ensure a perfect Pavlova result.
In the meantime...
* Super fine / castor sugar is granulated sugar with a much finer grain size than regular granulated sugar. It is NOT powdered / icing sugar! Super fine sugar is usually sold near the sugar in the baking aisle, in small boxes – sometimes resembling milk cartons. If you aren’t able to find actual super fine sugar, you can process regular granulated sugar in your food processor until fine. Measure AFTER you process!
** The possibilities for flavoring your pavlova are endless! Here are some of my favorites:
– Rum flavoring in the meringue and whipped cream. Top with sliced bananas, mango, and toasted coconut.
– Almond flavoring in meringue and whipped cream. Top with strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries, garnishing with fresh mint leaves if available.
– Substitute half of the sugar with light brown sugar. Use rum flavoring in the meringue & whipped cream. Top with cooled bananas foster and pecans!
– ¼ cup cocoa in the meringue, 2-3 tablespoons cocoa in the whipped cream, top with raspberries (Sometimes marinated in Chambord!), drizzle with chocolate sauce. Great for Valentine’s Day!
One caveat, however: You cannot use oil-based flavoring in your pavlova meringue. Its presence will cause the meringue structure to break down.
Nutrition
Calories: 322kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 53mg | Potassium: 70mg | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 729IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 32mg