Berry Pavlova

I was never a fan of pavlova, having eaten overly sweet versions. I made it a while back, as a friend wanted to learn how to make the meringue base. Several recipes I had seen used sweetened whipped cream on the meringue base, and /or sweetened fruit. To my mind, this dessert only works if you cut the sugar in everything else except the meringue. So we used unsweetened cream and kept the base relatively thin so that every bite has the perfect balance of crisp, chewy meringue, whipped cream and the berries.

Even the family reluctantly tried the pavlova, expecting cloying sweetness, and everyone was pleasantly surprised at how light and delicious it felt, like summer on a plate. It’s a quintessential summer dessert for me as I think it pairs very well with berries and tangy fruit like passion fruit. It’s also a visually stunning dessert and needs surprisingly little effort. For all it’s visual glory, meringue is easy to make and don’t let anyone put you off from trying. But do follow all the key steps to get a perfect result.

Steps to a perfect meringue:
  1. Separate the whites carefully, as even a speck of yolk and effect the quality of the meringue. Use a small bowl to separate each egg, so as not to contaminate the whole batch in case you end up breaking a yolk.
  2. The beaters & bowl should be spanking clean and dry.
  3. Older egg whites are better for whisking than fresher eggs
  4. Egg whites at room temperature beat the best.
  5. Once you reach “peak” stage with the whites, don’t overbeat as the whites can become dry and will have reduced volume.
  6. Make the meringue the day before you need it, or at least 6 hours beforehand. The best way to cool it without cracking is to leave it in the oven, so that’s why overnight works well as you are unlikely to use the oven.
A note about the berries:
Fresh berry pavlova

I personally love to use a variety of berries in as it looks prettier and tastes more interesting but feel free to use only one type if that’s easier. Most of the berries can be used washed, dried, and uncooked, like in this version that I made a while back.

 

 

Berry pavlova

But if you use blackberries, or red/black currants, they benefit from a quick burst of stewing in a tiny bit of sugar. Just sprinkle a little sugar on the blackberries/currants, once the sugar disappears into the fruit, heat it gently just for a minute or 2 to dissolve any grains. Take off heat and cool. The trickle of juices adds a prettier touch to t he finished dessert.

 

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Berry Pavlova
The meringue base can be made ahead and should be filled just before serving. Both the cream and berries can be mixed and refrigerated in advance, so that it just take a few minutes to put together before serving. If storing the meringue base, keep in an airtight container out of humidity.
Course Dessert
Cuisine Modern British
Prep Time 15 min
Cook Time 1 hour
Passive Time 6 hours
Servings
Ingredients
Course Dessert
Cuisine Modern British
Prep Time 15 min
Cook Time 1 hour
Passive Time 6 hours
Servings
Ingredients
Instructions
To make the base:
  1. Preheat the oven to 150C (130C fan).
  2. Place a sheet of parchment paper on a baking tray. Draw a 9-inch circle on the paper, using a 9-inch plate as a guide, then turn the paper over so the circle is on the reverse side. (This is to avoid getting pencil lead on the meringue).
  3. Place the egg whites and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. (Alternatively use a hand-held beater). Beat the whites on high speed until firm peaks form, about 1 minute. With the mixer still on high, add the sugar a heaped tablespoon at a time, and beat until it makes firm, shiny peaks, about 2 minutes.
  4. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Make a slurry of the cornflour and vinegar and fold into the meringue with the vanilla extract gently with a rubber spatula.
  5. Spoon the mixture into the centre of the drawn circle. Smooth it within the circle, making a roughly round shape. If it spreads out a little, that’s fine. Hollow the centre a little so that it looks like a nest.
  6. Place into the oven and bake for 1 hour. To judge if the pavlova base is cooked, check that it easily away easily off the paper. If it sticks, bake it for a little longer.
  7. Turn off the oven, keep the door closed, and allow the meringue to cool completely in the oven, for several hours or ideally overnight.
To serve: The meringue is fragile, so handle carefully. Lift the meringue off the baking paper onto a serving plate.
  1. Whip the cream until soft peak form. Don’t over whip, else it will become grainy.
  2. Fill the meringue with the whipped cream. Chop the strawberries if using and combine with the other berries in a bowl. Add the vanilla extract and liquor, if using.
  3. Spoon the berries carefully into the middle of the Pavlova, leaving a border of meringue. Serve immediately.
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