This pavlova recipe is the one we usually use for special family occasions.
When we all get together, my mother and my aunt Carmela, who are great cooks, always bring this berry pavlova for dessert.
This classic pavlova recipe is very easy to make as you only have to follow a few simple steps. In the end, you just need to combine meringue, cream and berries. Plus, you can add other fresh fruit suited to your taste.
Making the nests can be the hardest part; however, I have made a video so you can follow along with me making the meringue nests. In the end, and with practice, you will find them very easy to make!
What Is The Origin of Pavlova ?
It is a dessert that was made in honor of the Russian ballerina Anna Pávlova on her trips to Australia and New Zealand.
This pavlova is a delicious and elegant gluten-free dessert perfect for any special celebration or dinner party.
I recommend serving this delicacy right after making it, so that it keeps its consistency. Besides berries, you can top with other fresh fruits, for instance, strawberries or mango.
Now that Christmas is approaching, this dessert is ideal to surprise your family and friends.
How to Make Pavlova
Meringue Nests
1. Preheat the oven to 248°F ( 120°C ).
2. Separate 5 egg whites from 5 egg yolks. Preferably eggs are at room temperature.
3. In a bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff with an electric handheld / stand mixer on medium speed. When you hit soft peaks form, add in 300 grams of icing sugar little by little. You’ll know you´ve hit stiff peak stage when you have glossy peaks.
4. Add in 3 teaspoons of cornstarch through a strainer. Keep whipping with the stand / hand mixer on medium speed. Then, add in the vinegar and keep whipping.
5. Once the meringue is ready, it is time to create 6/8 mini pavlovas nests or a 8 inch diameter cake nest.
Pavlova Cake or Mini Pavlovas ?
Lately I’ve been making mini pavlovas instead of creating the classic pavlova cake.
Mini pavlovas give each one of your guests the experience of opening the meringue, feeling how it crunches and tasting the cream and berries as they wish.
As shown in the video below, you create a mini pavlova by placing a drop of meringue on the parchment paper. Then, with the concave side of a soup spoon, you begin to shape the nest, ending up making a hollow in the center.
The only difference between the cake and the mini pavlovas is the size of the meringue nest. For the rest, this pavlova recipe is the same for both options.
To make pavlova cake, all the meringue is used for one nest, while to make mini pavlovas, a smaller amount of meringue is used for each nest.
With the concave part of a soup spoon, make the sides of meringue nest a little higher than the middle, creating a volcano shape which center will be filled with whipped cream and berries.
Note that, when making meringue nests, its size will not be final, as the pavlova will rise in the oven. Once baked, the meringue texture is crisp on the outside and marshmallow-soft on the inside.
In my view, diners will experience the magic of this sweet treat more intensely if each one of them has their own pavlova.
6. Bake for 1 hour in case you are making the mini pavlovas ; otherwise, bake for 1 hour and a quarter if you are making the cake.
Pavlova Cream
7. Pour 500 ml. of liquid cream in a bowl and whip it with the handheld / stand mixer on medium speed. Gradually, add in 150 grams of sugar and 25 grams of vanilla sugar. Keep whipping for about ten minutes until stiff peaks form. Tip: Be careful not to whisk too fast or for too long to prevent the cream from acquiring a buttery texture.
Pavlova Assembly
8. Pour and spread the sweetened whipped cream in the center of meringue nests and then top with berries, crushed pistachios and raspberry coulis. Et voilà! You have just made a delicious pavlova!
Make Raspberry Sauce Easily
If you don´t have time to make a raspberry coulis, another way to make raspberry sauce is to add a spoonful of raspberry jam in a bowl and heat it in the microwave for 30 seconds. Then pour in a teaspoon of water and stir until it looks like a sauce. If you want to remove the seeds of the jam from the sauce, you can strain through a sieve.
From one dessert comes another dessert! During the preparation of the meringue, I had five egg yolks left over, so I asked myself what should I do with these egg yolks? First, I didn’t know what to do with them; then, I decided to use them to make a crema catalana.
If you liked this easy pavlova recipe, I am sure you will also like this no-bake cheesecake recipe.
Classic Berry Pavlova Recipe
Ingredients
Meringue
- 300 grams icing sugar
- 5 egg whites
- 3 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon white or apple cider vinegar
Cream
- 500 ml liquid cream
- 150 grams sugar
- 25 grams vanilla sugar
To decorate
- 125 grams raspberries
- 50 grams blackberries
- 50 grams pistachios
- Raspberry coulis (optional)
Instructions
Meringue
- Preheat the oven to 248°F ( 120°C ).
- Separate egg whites from egg yolks.
- In a bowl, beat egg whites until stiff with an electric handheld / stand mixer. When you hit soft peaks form, add in icing sugar little by little.
- Add in cornstarch through a strainer. Keep whipping with the handheld / stand mixer on medium. Now add in vinegar while whipping.
- Once the meringue is ready, it is time to create 6/8 mini pavlovas nests or a 8 inch diameter cake nest.
- Bake for 1 hour in case you are making the mini pavlovas. Bake for 1 hour and a quarter if you are making the cake.
Cream
- Pour liquid cream in a bowl and whip it with the handheld / stand mixer on medium speed. Add in the sugar, gradually, and keep whipping for about ten minutes until stiff peaks form.
Assembly
- Pour the cream on the meringue nests and then start decorating with berries, crushed pistachios and raspberry coulis. Et voilà! You have made a delicious pavlova ready to delight your diners!
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