Triple Berry Pavlova - This meringue cake is crisp on the outside and soft and light on the inside! Topped with homemade whipped cream and fresh berries, it's such an elegant, light and delicious dessert!
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You guys gotta' tell me if you're getting sick of berries. I know, it's getting ridiculous now, isn't it? Strawberry Soup, Berry Wine Spritzer, Berry Shortcake Salad. . .I've gone off the deep end. I promise you this will be the last berry recipe for the week. Next week I can't promise anything, but for this week, we'll call it good. . .right after we talk about this Triple Berry Pavlova.
If you've never experienced pavlova, it's a meringue cake with a crisp crust and soft, marshmallow-like center, topped with fruit and whipped cream.
Let me preface this by saying, pavlova isn't difficult to make. If it were, I wouldn't be sharing it here. There is a little prep work and the process takes a bit longer than my normal recipes, but the end product is SO worth it. Don't be intimidated. You can do this. I do want to note, however, that this dessert doesn't like very humid conditions. Don't attempt to make pavlova on a rainy day.
Okay, so before doing anything, pull out a 9 or 10-inch baking pan and trace the bottom of it on parchment paper.
After you get the bottom of your pan traced, whip up the "cake" mixture. A couple tips when you're preparing the meringue. Try to ensure that the sugar is completely dissolved, but take care not to over beat. Test the consistency by rubbing some of the mixture between your fingers. If it feels gritty, beat a bit longer. If there's too much undissolved sugar, you may see beads of liquid on your meringue.
Flip the parchment paper over, place it on your baking sheet. and use it as a guide for transferring the meringue to the baking pan. The meringue needs to be baked at a lower temp so the meringue doesn't collapse or crack to the point it falls apart. A few cracks are okay - it's going to happen. Don't freak out.
When transferring the meringue to the parchment paper, create a small well in the center so there will be room for your berries after baking. Once you put the pavlova in the oven, DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR. After baking for 50-55 minutes, turn the oven off and leave the meringue in the the oven with the door closed to cool and dry out.
NOTE: You can make pavlova the day before. When I made mine, I baked the pavlova and then just left it in the oven overnight until the morning. I didn't even cover it with anything because I left the oven door closed.
Once the pavlova has cooled completely, take remove it from the oven, make the whipped cream topping and GENTLY spoon it onto the pavlova, using an icing spatula to GENTLY spread to the edges. And then GENTLY place the berries on top. Do you see the theme here? Be gentle. Pavlova is a very delicate dessert.
It's such a beautiful dessert - stunning really - especially if you sprinkle a few mint leaves over the top along with the berries. Gorgeous.
So, I bet you're all wondering what this is going to look like when I cut it, right? Will it deflate? Will it break apart? No, no. No worries. It cut beautifully.
Wouldn't this be a delicious dessert on the 4th of July? I'm always looking for more red, white and blue recipes and this pavlova is a winner for sure!
I'd love to hear about your pavlova experience! If you try the recipe make sure to let me know how it went in the comments! I'll try and field any questions you have along the way. Oh, and I promise, no more berries the rest of this week. Prepare yourself for s'mores desserts. They're next in line. 😉
Triple Berry Pavlova
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 4 large egg whites (room temperature)
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
For the Topping
- 1 ¼ cups heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 cup strawberries (hulled and sliced)
- 1 cup raspberries
- 1 cup blueberries
Instructions
For the Cake
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and trace a circle around the bottom of a 10" pie pan. Invert the paper.
- In a large bowl, add cream of tartar to egg whites.
- Beat until soft peaks form.
- Add the sugar gradually, mixing it well until it dissolves.
- Continue mixing until glossy peaks form.
- Add the cornstarch and lemon juice.
- Spoon the meringue mixture carefully into the middle of the circle on the parchment paper.
- Spread out the meringue until it reaches the edges of the circle and use the back of a spoon to form a shallow well in the middle of the meringue.
- Bake 50-55 minutes or until meringue is set.
- Turn off oven with meringue still inside (do not open the door) and allow to set for 1 hour.
- Remove and cool on baking sheet.
For the Topping
- Beat the heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form.
- Add the sugar.
- Carefully spread the whipped cream on top of the meringue, taking care not to break the cake.
- Gently add the berries.
Notes
- Ensure Proper Egg White Texture: When beating the egg whites, ensure they reach room temperature for optimal volume and stability. Adding cream of tartar helps stabilize the egg whites and achieve soft peaks. Gradually adding sugar and continuing to beat until glossy peaks form ensures a smooth and stable meringue base for your pavlova.
- Mindful Assembly: When spreading out the meringue mixture on the parchment paper, be gentle to avoid deflating the mixture. Use the traced circle as a guide to shape the pavlova evenly. Creating a shallow well in the middle of the meringue allows space for the whipped cream and berries to be nestled on top without overflowing.
- Stabilizing Whipped Cream: To ensure the whipped cream maintains its texture and doesn't deflate, beat the heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form before adding the sugar. Adding the sugar gradually ensures it's evenly distributed and sweetens the cream without causing it to become runny. Carefully spread the whipped cream onto the cooled meringue to create a smooth and even layer before adding the fresh berries.
Roger P
I make a pavlova 3 or 4 times a year, for Christmas, Thanksgiving, or if I have ti take a plate somewhere. Our recipes are very similar.
My recipe calls for caster sugar ( fine granulated sugar), to achieve this I put my regular sugar in the blender for a few moments.
I beat the egg whites alone, no cream of tartar, for about 15 minutes on a medium to high speed. then I gradually add the sugar keeping the mixer t the same speed. Takes about another 10 minutes or so.
I cook mine at 230 degrees for 2 1/2 hours. Leave the pavlova in the closed oven until cooled.
I whip up 1 pint of heavy whipping cream, and add 1 tbsp of powdered sugar. I do like to use the berries, but you can use any fruit of your choice,