Classic Pavlova Recipe {Light & Air}
Elegant. Airy. Fresh. This is a classic recipe for a meringue pavlova that is simple to make, and even simpler to eat. The resulting pavlova is light, topped with fluffy whipped cream, and juicy seasonal fruit.
Equipment
- parchment paper/silicone baking sheets
- electric mixer (preferably stand mixer)
Ingredients
Meringue Base
- 4 Egg Whites (from large eggs) room temperature
- 1 cup Superfine (Caster) Sugar or granulated sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch
- 2 tsp Lemon, juice
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Chantilly Cream (sweetened whipped cream)
- 1 1/2 cups Heavy Cream (m.f. 35%) cold
- 2 tbsp Superfine Sugar (Caster) or granulated sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract or vanilla bean paste
Fruit topping
- 1 cups Berries (Blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, goji berries etc.) your favourite!
- 1 cups Other seasonal fruits (pineapple, kiwi, peaches, cherries, plums, passion fruit etc.) cut as desired
- 1 tbsp Sugar any type
- 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
Instructions
Meringue Base
- Preheat oven to 300F (convection oven 275F). Draw an 8" circle onto a sheet of parchment paper. Flip the drawn on side over to the bottom and place onto your 9x13 baking pan. Set aside.
- In the clean bowl of a stand mixer, add the egg whites (carefully separated from yolks to ensure no oily residue).
- Add salt to the bowl and begin mixing on low speed until frothy. Once frothy, begin slowly adding in the sugar (note: this is best done ~1 tablespoon at a time to allow the sugar to dissolve better).
- Once a stiff peak consistency has been achieved, turn off mixture.
- In a small bowl, add lemon juice to your cornstarch to create a paste.
- Add your cornstarch paste and vanilla extract to the meringue. Pulse quickly on high speed then turn off mixer and gently fold with a spatula until everything has been combined.
- Add small dollops of meringue to the corners of your baking sheet, to prevent the parchment paper from sliding.
- Dollop your meringue into your outlined 8" circle and spread to fill.
- Place pavlova meringue into your oven preheated to 300F and immediately lower the temperature to 225F. Bake the meringues on the centre rack of the oven for 1.5 hours.
- Turn off the oven and leave the meringues inside for an extra ~2 hour (Note: the first hour in the closed oven, then the second hour with the door propped open to allow for further drying).
Whipped Cream
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat cream, vanilla, and sugar, into stiff peaks. Set aside.
Seasonal Fruit Medley
- Wash, dry, and cut your berries and seasonal fruits. Mix them together with sugar and lemon juice. Mix until fruit appear glossy.
Assembly
- Pile whipped cream onto the centre of your pavlova meringue base.
- Add your fruits onto the mound of cream on top. Reserve any extra fruit for decorating once the dessert is cut.
- Cut, serve, and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Sofia's Tips:
- Egg whites are best separated from the yolks when the egg is cold! Whipping into a meringue is best when the egg whites are room temperature.
- Separating your egg whites one at a time, prevents contamination of oily yolks to the entire egg white mixture if anything bad happens.
- Don’t forget to slowly incorporate the sugar! This is best done ~1 tablespoon at a time, as the mixer runs.
- This pavlova can be made in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer instead of a stand mixer - just allow for more time for the egg whites to whip up to the right volume.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!