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My husband and I have been married 11 years this month. Time, slow down! This is a very special anniversary for us. Our first child is 5 and will be starting school this year. We didn’t go out of town to celebratebut we did go out to our favorite fancy restaurant and then shared dessert at home.
If you want to surprise your spouse and make dessert extra special, you should try this loaded berry pavlova. It’s light, airy and filled with all the best summer berries. It is crisp on the outside and marshmallowy soft inside. A sweet end to a sweet day!
Let me start out by saying the pavlova is EASY. Meringue is neither complicated or time consuming. It takes some time to bake/dry out in the oven, but your oven does all of the work.
I’ll be sharing all of my tips on getting the correct consistency and provide step-by-step photos of the process to give you confidence to re-create the recipe or make your own variation at home
Ingredients for Pavlova Cake:
6 egg whites, room temperature (*see tip 1below)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 tsp corn starch
1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 Tbspvanilla extract
Ingredients for Frosting:
1 1/2 cups cold heavy whipping cream
2 Tbsp granulatedsugar
Ingredients for Topping:
4-5 cups fresh berries(blueberries, raspberries, small strawberries, blackberries..)** see tip 2below
1-2 kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced
*Tip 1:Pavlova eggs will beat best when they are atroom temperature. If you forget this step, place un-cracked eggs in warm water for 15 minutes to bring them to room temp.
**Tip 2: Keep berries dry and chilled prior to use.
How to Make a Berry Pavlova Cake:
Preheat the Oven to 250˚F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
1. Using the whisk attachment on your stand mixer, beat6 egg whites and 1 1/2 cups sugar for 6 to 7 minutes on high speed, or until stiff peaks form. The mixture will be smooth and glossy.
2. Add1/2 Tbsplemon juice, 1/2 Tbspvanilla extract and 2 tsp corn starch and continue mixing another 15 seconds or until well blended. Transfer immediately to a large sheet of parchment paper and use spatula to form a 10″ round ring, making adeepindent in the center to accommodate the cream and berries later. The center will rise so make a substantial well in the center.
3. Bake at 250˚F for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Then turn off the oven and with door closed, let it sit inside the oven another 1 hour until cooled. You can keep it in the oven longer to cool since the oven will be off and you might have dinner plans ;).Remove pavlova from oven and let cool completely to room temp then cover and let stand in a dry, room temp room up to 2 days or assemble and serveright away.
How to Make the Topping:
1. Beat 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream with 2 Tbsp sugar on high speed 2-3 minutes or until frosting is stiff and spreadable but don’t over beat or it will become buttery. (note: you can makecreamahead of time, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use).
2. Just before serving, spread whipped cream over the pavlova and top with plenty of your favorite berries. Refrigerate leftovers. It’s best served right away.
Berry Pavlova Cake Recipe
Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com
This pavlova is light, airy and filled with all the best summer berries. A sweet end to a sweet day! Meringue is neither complicated or time consuming. It takes some time to bake/dry out in the oven, but your oven does all of the work. It is crisp on the outside and marshmallowy soft inside.
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Ingredients
- 6 egg whites, room temperature (*see tip 1)
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 tsp corn starch
- 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups cold heavy whipping cream
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 4-5 cups fresh berries, blueberries, raspberries, small strawberries, blackberries..** see tip 2
- 1-2 kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced
Instructions
How to Make a Berry Pavlova:
Preheat the Oven to 250˚F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Using the whisk attachment on your stand mixer, beat 6 egg whites and 1 1/2 cups sugar for 6 to 7 minutes on high speed, or until stiff peaks form. The mixture will be smooth and glossy.
Add 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice, 1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract and 2 tsp corn starch and continue mixing another 15 seconds or until well blended.
Transfer immediately to a large sheet of parchment paper and use spatula to form a 10" round ring, making a deep indent in the center to accommodate the cream and berries later. The center will rise so make a substantial well in the center.
Bake at 250˚F for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Then turn off the oven and with door closed, let it sit inside the oven another 1 hour until cooled. You can keep it in the oven longer to cool since the oven will be off and you might have dinner plans ;). Remove pavlova from oven and let cool completely to room temp then cover and and let stand in a dry, room temp room up to 2 days or assemble and serve right away.
How to Make the Topping:
Beat 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream with 2 Tbsp sugar on high speed 2-3 minutes or until frosting is stiff and spreadable but don't over beat or it will become buttery. (note: you can make cream ahead of time, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use).
Just before serving, spread whipped cream over the pavlova and top with plenty of your favorite berries. Refrigerate leftovers. It's best served right away.
Notes
*Tip 1: Pavolva eggs will beat best when they are at room temperature. If you forget this step, place un-cracked eggs in warm water for 15 minutes to bring them to room temp.
**Tip 2: Keep berries dry and chilled prior to use.
- Full Nutrition Label
- Nutrition Disclosure
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Russian, Ukrainian
Keyword: Berry Pavlova Cake
Skill Level: Easy/Medium
Cost to Make: $$
I hope you love this easy and wonderful Berry Pavlova Recipe!! 🙂
Natasha Kravchuk
Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.
Read more posts by Natasha
FAQs
The secret to a good, crisp pavlova is in the drying of the meringue after cooking. If there is a lot of moisture in the air, whether from humidity or even other cooking you are doing in the kitchen, you will have problems. That's why the “Pavlova Nazi” in me insists on no boiling saucepans during pav time.
What does vinegar do in pavlova? ›
Vinegar added to the meringue will lower the pH of the egg whites. This acidic environment will also help to stabilize the egg white foam, preventing the meringue from collapsing too much. The acidity helps to unravel the protein and prevent the proteins from binding together too tightly.
How do you know when a pavlova is done? ›
Bake the meringue: Bake for 60 to 70 minutes for 1 large pavlova, or 50 to 60 minutes for mini-pavlovas. The pavlovas are done when the outsides are dry to the touch. The interior of a properly cooked pavlova should be marshmallowy. It's fine if cracks form in the crust.
How do you keep a pavlova from collapsing? ›
If you overbeat the mixture after adding the sugar, your meringue may crack and collapse during baking. To avoid this, only beat the mixture until the sugar dissolves – test this by rubbing a little of the mixture between your fingertips.
What can go wrong with pavlova? ›
Unfortunately there is one major problem associated with leaving the pav in the oven for too long - weeping pavs. Weeping can occur when the middle of the pav has dried out too much. Essentially when the marshmallow in the middle is above 100 C, some of the water associated with the egg white is going to turn to steam.
How do you keep pavlova crispy? ›
Store your pavlova in a dry, airtight container.
If your pavlova is left in the open, the sugar in the meringue will absorb moisture in your kitchen's air. This added moisture will turn your crispy meringue into a soft and sticky mess. An airtight container will help shield your meringue from moisture in the air.
What happens if you put too much vinegar in pavlova? ›
If you have accidentally added too much vinegar, bake the same pavlova again at 150C for half an hour. This will crips it up but also give it a slightly darker colour. Just before serving, whip the cream and spoon it onto the top of the pavlova, leaving an edge of pavlova.
What makes a pavlova chewy? ›
Sugar makes the pavlova mixture strong and stable, and is responsible for that super hard shiny crust. I found that as you reduce the sugar or increase the brown sugar (it has more moisture), the final result is a chewier, with a more fragile, shattery crust.
Why do you put cornstarch in pavlova? ›
Some pavlova recipes call for mixing cornstarch into the sugar before adding it to the egg whites. While this old family recipe is made without cornstarch, some say it helps to absorb any extra moisture, keeping the meringue completely dry, which could be especially helpful in humid environments.
What does undercooked pavlova look like? ›
However, if you undercook it, then it's all gooey, which you don't want either. Just to make life a bit more complicated, if the Pavlova, once perfectly baked, is exposed to cold air then it can collapse, deflating like a punctured balloon.
If you over-bake it, the meringue will collapse on itself. It will still taste great, but will be more dense. If sugary droplets form on the surface of the meringue, you'll know you have overcooked it; liquid oozing from the pavlova is a sign of undercooking.
Can you over whip pavlova? ›
It's also important to mix the caster sugar into the egg whites slowly to allow it to fully dissolve without over whipping the eggs. If you get this wrong your pavlova will weep and is more likely to crack. I set a timer for 2 minutes every time I add a tablespoon of caster sugar and whip on a medium setting.
Why did my pavlova crack in the oven? ›
The meringue base for Pavlova is baked at a lower temperature than many baked goods, but the temperature change when they're removed from the oven is still drastic enough to cause unwanted cracks.
Can I leave my pavlova in the oven overnight? ›
Making pavlova the day (or night) before is best.
Bake it before bed, then let it cool in the oven overnight in the oven with the door closed. It may last up to two days but as it will absorb moisture it will become less crisp the long time goes on.
Why is my pavlova crumbling? ›
Why did my pavlova collapse? If your meringue has cracked, it's possible it was cooled too quickly. To minimize cracking or collapsing, switch off the oven after baking, but leave the meringue in the oven to slow down the cooking process. Other reasons for collapse include using older eggs whites.
Why is my meringue not crisping up? ›
Solution: Leave meringues to cool in the oven.
After turning the oven off, you can leave meringue cookies inside to finish drying out. Crack the oven door if you're worried the heat will be too high. You can also use the oven to re-crisp soggy or stale meringues. Put them in at a low temperature for ten minutes.
Why is my meringue not crispy? ›
Cook long and slow, and allow the meringues to cool completely in the oven once the cooking time is over, this prevents cracking and ensures they are lovely and crispy on the outside rather than sticky.
Why isn't my meringue crunchy? ›
If the air is very humid when baking meringues, it's going to take longer for them to dry out. They're also more at risk of losing their crispy texture post-bake as the sugar in the meringue will attract the water from the air.
How do you fix undercooked meringue? ›
Fixing runny meringue is usually as simple as whisking more air into the mixture and waiting for it to develop stiff peaks. You can also add another egg white or a teaspoon of cornstarch to get the mix to the consistency you need. Whenever I make a meringue, I can't get the stiff peaks, just a white, fluffy goop.
