Pavlova Recipe

4.94 from 15 votes

The BEST Aussie pavlova recipe. Based on one of the earliest recipes, expect smooth and fluffy marshmallow encased in a delicate, crisp meringue shell.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 15

Cooling time8

Total Time9 30

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Australian, New Zealand

Servings: servings

Calories: 200kcal

Author: Libby Hakim

Equipment

baking tray (a round pizza tray or bottom of a round springform cake tin works well)
stand mixer and whisk attachment (ensure bowl is clean and dry) (you can use handheld electric beaters, but a stand mixer is preferred)
silicone spatula (clean and dry)

Ingredients

Pavlova

4 egg whites (from 60 gram eggs) (150ml egg white in total) (at room temperature - see notes below for more information on eggs)
1 pinch salt (table or fine grain salt)
1 cup caster sugar / superfine sugar (210 grams)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon white vinegar

Whipped cream

300 ml thickened cream / heavy cream
1 tablespoon icing sugar / powdered sugar

Fruit topping

5-7 strawberries
5 slices tinned peach
1 passionfruit
½ kiwifruit
½ banana

Instructions

Pavlova

Preheat oven to 130 degrees celsius / 265 degrees fahrenheit (fan-forced)
Line baking tray with baking paper.
Beat egg whites and salt until the mixture forms soft peaks. (Start beating on low speed and then increase to med-high speed. This should take 2-3 minutes)
Reduce speed to low-med and add sugar gradually (break into about 6 parts and add over 2 minutes).
Once all sugar is added, increase speed to med-high speed until the mixture becomes thick and glossy, holds its shape well and sugar has dissolved. This should take about 2-4 minutes. Once ready, dip your (clean and dry) pointer finger in the mixture and rub into your thumb - there should be no granules. If there is, beat again and repeat test until sugar has dissolved.
Scrape the mixture from the whisk or beater and remove the mixing bowl from the stand mixer. Add the vanilla extract and vinegar and fold in with a spatula until combined.
Carefully scrape the mixture out of mixing bowl and onto the prepared tray and use spatula to shape the mixture into a circle about 18cm in diameter. Flatten out the top of the pavlova using the spatula and then use the spatula to brush up the sides of the pavlova on a slight inwards lean (say 20 degrees). This will create a slightly domed effect and slightly concave top. Tap the top of the pavlova gently with the spatula to create a few peeks in the mixture.
Place pavlova in oven and cook for 15 minutes before turning oven down to 100 degrees celsius / 210 degrees fahrenheit (fan-forced) and cooking for another 60 minutes.
Turn oven off after cooking time elapses but DO NOT open the oven door. Leave the pavlova to cool in the oven for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.
Once completely cool, remove from the oven.

Decorating

You can remove the pavlova from the baking paper (use a metal spatula to release the pavlova from the paper and pull the paper out from underneath the pavlova rather than trying to lift the delicate pavlova) or leave it on the baking paper and place on serving tray before trimming the paper.
Decorate with whipped cream and fruit just before serving.
Beat the cream until soft peaks form. Add the icing sugar and beat again to combine. Spoon the cream (gently) over the top of the pavlova and smooth out the top ready for decorating.
Scoop out passionfruit pulp and cut the rest of the fruit into slices/pieces. Arrange over top of cream.

Notes

Storing: Make your pavlova the day before and then store it in the oven to completely cool (and an airtight container once cooled.) Ideally, decorate it no more than a 4 hours before serving. Store decorated pavlova in the fridge and enjoy leftovers the next day.

Freezing: Not suitable.

Nutrition: The nutrition information is an automatically generated estimate and is not guaranteed to be accurate.

Tips:

- EGGS: separate whites from yolks while eggs are still cold (it's easier to ensure no yolk is in the whites) but leave whites out to come to room temperature before beating.
- REDUCING OVEN TEMP: There is a temperature drop during the cooking process, so make sure to set an alarm.
- COOL IN OVEN: once you switch off the oven, leave pavlova in there to gradually cool – it'll need at least 6 hours, preferably leave it overnight.
- MAKE TWO: I don't recommend increasing the quantities to make a larger pavlova. Make two instead!
- BANANA: If adding sliced banana (it's a bit old-fashioned but my nan always added it and I still love it), squeeze a little lemon juice over to stop it going brown.

Nutrition