Print recipe
 

Pavlova

Preparation time 30 minutes
Bake time 75 minutes (plus cooling time)
Makes about 8 servings
 

Ingredients

For meringue layer

• 120 grams (about 4) egg whites
• Pinch of salt
• ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
• 200 grams (1 cup) sugar
• 3 grams (½ tablespoon) cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the topping

• 320 grams (1⅓ cups or 11.3 ounces) lightly sweetened whipped cream, double cream from Gruyère, or clotted cream
• 575 grams (1¼ pounds) berries or chopped fresh fruit 
   

 Method

1.  Preheat the oven to 110C/230F and place the rack in the center of the oven. 
    
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and draw a 18cm/7in circle on the paper. Place another parchment sheet on top of the circle drawn parchment – you will use the circle as your guide in step 6 but you don’t want the batter to directly touch the pen or pencil that you used to make the outline. Do not grease the parchment paper.
    
3. Measure the ingredients.
    
4. Stir the cornstarch into the sugar in a small bowl to prevent the cornstarch from clumping when adding it to the egg whites in the next step.
    
5. In a large bowl, whip the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt to soft peaks on a low speed. Increase the speed to medium-high, slowly and gradually sprinkling in the sugar-cornstarch mixture on the egg whites. Whip for a couple of minutes and then slowly pour in the vanilla. Increase the speed to high and whip until glossy, stiff peaks form.
    
6. Immediately spoon the meringue mixture inside the circle outline on the parchment made in step 2. Spread the mixture so that it is an evenly formed circle and make sure the edges of the meringue are higher and the center is indented or recessed in order to place the cream and fruit after it is baked.  You can be creative and shape the pavlova as you want. As you spread and shape the meringue mixture, you will go slightly outside the boundaries of the outline and end with a 20-21½ cm / 8-8½ in confection.
    
7. Bake for about 75 minutes or until the outside is dry and pale. Check on the meringue periodically while its baking and reduce the temperature to 100C/215F if you notice some cracking or if starts to pick up color after its about half baked. Once it is baked, turn the oven off and let the pavlova cool completely inside the oven for at least 1½ hours, preferably overnight.
    
8. The meringue can be made several days in advance and stored in an airtight container at room temperature until ready to use.
    
9. When ready to serve, wash and if needed, cut your fruit and set aside or prepare your cream (if you are using heavy cream, whip 320 grams or 1⅓ cups of cream with 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract until stiff peaks form).
    
10. Place the meringue on a serving plate and spread the cream in the indented center of the pavlova, leaving a border of meringue. Cracks in the meringue are common. Place the fruit carefully on top of the cream. No need to get artistic, just pile it all on top.
     
11. Slice and serve.
     
12. It is best to eat the pavlova immediately after it has been decorated. Leftover decorated pavlova can be refrigerated overnight, but the dessert will absorb all of the moisture from the cream and fruit and lose its crispness and structure.
    
     

​Published: 16 August 2022