Crispy-Chewy Meringue, Whipped Cream, and Fresh Fruit—This Pavlova Recipe Has It All (2024)

The Pavlova—a dessert made with a meringue shell piled with whipped cream and fresh fruit—is not only beautiful to look at, but a delight to eat, with a wonderful mixture of flavors and textures. BothNew Zealanders and Australians claim to have invented it, and while there's a lot of debate about who should have it as a national dessert, there's no debate about its deliciousness.

A Dessert Named for a Ballerina

The Pavlova is named after the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, who toured Australia and New Zealand in the 1920s. The name of the dessert commemorates the dancer's fluffy tutus, according to Brittanica.com. "The question of which country first celebrated her in patisserie is vexed," according to Brittanica, "but Helen Leach of the University of Otago delivered a paper at TastingAustraliain 2007 showing that a recipe for pavlova appeared inNew Zealandas early as 1929." Meanwhile, historians interviewed by the BBC trace the origins of what we now call a Pavlova centuries back to Austria in the 1700s, and they also found a somewhat similar dessert in a 13th century Syrian cookbook.

What Exactly Is a Pavlova—and How Is It Different from a Meringue?

One element of a Pavlova is a type of meringue with a marshmallow-like center, but the term refers to the whole dessert—the meringue plus whipped cream and fruit. A traditional meringue and the meringue for a pavlova are both made with whipped egg whites and sugar, but a pavlova includes additional ingredients, like cornstarch and white vinegar, that create the marshmallow-like center that's key for a true Pavlova.

Tips for a Pavlova Perfection

Keep everything clean—When preparing a Pavlova recipe, the most important thing is to have scrupulously clean utensils, free of grease, egg yolks, or eggshells. In fact, the success of the meringue depends on it.
Bring your eggs to room temperature—To get more volume, it's necessary to have the egg whites at room temperature before beating them, so be sure to take the eggs out of the fridge a couple of hours before you want to make the meringue.
Use superfine sugar for lighter meringues—This recipe calls for caster sugar, which in the United States is usually sold as superfine sugar. This type of finely granulated sugar is lighter and incorporates better into the meringue. If you can't find it you can make your own superfine sugar.
Don't let the whipped egg whites sit around—When preparing the meringue shell, make sure to use the whipped egg whites immediately to form the pavlova base. If the egg whites sit, they will begin to deflate and make for a less airy meringue.
Make some extra whipped cream—Pavlovas have a habit of deflating and forming cracks when you open the oven but don't be disheartened. Just make some extra whipped cream to fill in any holes if this happens. It will still be a spectacular dessert.

How to Top and Serve Your Pavlova

A variety of fruit can be used when making a Pavlova, including berries, kiwi, passionfruit, and bananas. If you use bananas in the topping, toss them in lemon juice to stop them from oxidizing or turning brown. Slice the Pavlova into wedges using a sharp knife (dipping it in hot water first can help) or a metal cake server and enjoy—don't worry if it's a little messy!

Make-Ahead

You can make the meringue base ahead of time. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap or place in an airtight container and store at room temperature for several days. Keep in mind that if the weather is humid, the meringue will become soft and chewy.

What You'll Need to Make This Pavlova Recipe

A Nifty Hand Mixer

A Good Baking Sheet

A Set of Nice Mixing Bowls

“Pavlova looks like a dessert that would be complicated to make but is far from it. It requires just a few simple ingredients and some time, most of which is hands off. After the meringue is baked, just add some whipped cream and fresh fruit and you’ll have a beautiful and memorable dessert. —Joan Velush

Crispy-Chewy Meringue, Whipped Cream, and Fresh Fruit—This Pavlova Recipe Has It All (4)

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

For Meringue Shell:

Steps to Make It

Make the Meringue Shell

Gather the ingredients.
Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 275 F/140 C.
Line a baking sheet with foil. Using a bowl as a guide, draw a 7-inch circle on the foil with the blunt edge of a knife without tearing the foil. Set aside.
In a clean, medium metal bowl or in a clean stand mixer fitted with a clean whisk attachment, beat 4 large egg whites on medium speed until the whites form soft peaks.
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Gently sprinkle 1 cup caster sugar into the egg whites, 1 teaspoon at a time, beating continuously until the whites form stiff, glossy peaks.
Sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch and 1 teaspoon white vinegar on the meringue and fold in gently with a plastic spatula.
Gently fold 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract into the mixture.
Spread the meringue in the circle on the foil to make a circular base. Make sure the edges of the meringue are slightly higher than the center, so you have a shallow well in the middle.
Bake the meringue until it turns a very pale, pinkish eggshell color, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Turn off the oven and leave the door slightly ajar to let the meringue cool completely. As the meringue cools, it will crack slightly.
Just before serving, take the meringue out of the oven and gently transfer it from the foil to a plate.

Make the Whipped Cream

Gather the ingredients.
In a bowl, whip 1/2 cup whipping cream with 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar until it forms medium peaks. Set aside.

Prepare the Fruit

Wash and slice (if necessary) the fruit.
If using bananas, toss with 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice to prevent browning.

Assemble the Pavlova

Gently spread the whipped cream over the top of the cooled meringue with a spatula.
Arrange the fruit on top.Garnish with fresh mint sprigs, if desired.
Serve immediately and enjoy.

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
271	Calories
7g	Fat
49g	Carbs
3g	Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4to 6
Amount per serving
Calories	271
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 7g	9%
Saturated Fat 5g	23%
Cholesterol 22mg	7%
Sodium 43mg	2%
Total Carbohydrate 49g	18%
Dietary Fiber 2g	7%
Total Sugars 46g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 14mg	70%
Calcium 24mg	2%
Iron 0mg	2%
Potassium 121mg	3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags:

meringue
dessert
australian
birthdays

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