Shreya If you’re looking for a lovely melt in the mouth dessert for your Christmas meal this year, you’ve come to the right place! I’m sharing the recipe for a delicious pavlova with full proof tips to get the meringue just right and how to make extra Christmassy to suit the occasion.
What is a pavlova?
Pavlova is meringue dessert topped with whipped cream and fresh fruits. There is a whole debate on whether it originated in Australia or New Zealand. I found a comprehensive article about it (link below) if you’re curious to find out more about it. One thing the world agrees on though is that this dessert is named after the Russian ballet dance, Anna Pavlova. Given that I just saw my first ballet (The Nutcracker) yesterday, I thought it would be perfect to come home to this dessert. not to mention, it’s a week before Christmas.
I love the texture of a good pavlova, crunchy on the outside with a light and fluffy interior. It is made primarily with egg whites and sugar. To make a good meringue for the pavlova, it is imperative to follow the recipe with exact measurements but I promise you, it’s totally worth it.
| Serving | 5 pavlovas | |
| Prep time | 0 h | 30 m |
| Cook time | 1 h | 15 m |
| Rest time | 0 h | 30 m |
Ingredients
For the pavlova :
- 3 large egg whites
- 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
- 2 tsp lemon juice or 1 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the cranberry sauce :
- 1/2 cup fresh cranberries
- 1/4 cup sugar (I used date sugar but feel free to use the sugar of your choice)
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup water
For the topping :
- Whipped cream (Feel free to buy a store bought one like I did or make your own)
- Fresh fruits (typically a mix of berries but I used fresh figs)
How to make a meringue
A meringue is basically egg whites beaten vigorously to incorporate air and make it fluffy ending up looking like a cloud.
Steps to make meringue :
- Use room temperature eggs. Break your eggs, separate the yolk and give them about half an hour to allow them to come to room temperature.
- Start beating the eggs with a hand mixer or stand mixer. Back in the day, I have also whisked it myself and that’s some arm workout!
- Once the eggs are frothy and white, add the salt and keep beating at a medium speed for 4-5 minutes
- Once soft peaks form, start adding the sugar little by little while still beating the eggs.
- Continue beating for 10 minutes until the mixture becomes glossy and you have stiff peaks. When you turn the bowl, upside down, everything should stay in place. That’s the test to check if your meringue is ready.
6. Fold in the lemon juice and vanilla extract gently.
7. Fill the meringue in a piping bag and pipe out circles. Flatten the top with the back of a spoon to make space for cream and fruits later.
8. Bake for 1 h 15 mins at 225 F or 108 degree Celsius.
9. Let the pavlovas rest for 30 mins inside the oven. Do not open the door before.
10. After 30 mins, cool them down further bu placing on a wired rack.
The cranberry sauce
The sauce can be made ahead of time and stored. It should be allowed to cool down before pouring on the pavlovas.
- Add the cranberries and water in a pan and bring to a boil.
- Add the sugar and maple syrup
- Stir in the ingredients well and when the desired consistency is reached, strain the sauce to remove the skins
Assembling the pavlovas
You’ve done the hardest part of the job, assembling it is a piece of cake.
Add whipped cream on top of each pavlova and place fruits of your choice on it. I used figs.
Drizzle the cranberry sauce on top of the pavlovas
Link to the article I mentioned above talking about the origins of pavlova.
https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20200804-the-surprising-truth-about-pavlovas-origins
