Pavlova is one of those desserts that I’ve always admired but never had the courage to try making myself! Made with meringue, the perfect pavlova is crispy on the outside but soft and fluffy on the inside. It’s incredibly light, and you can play with whatever flavors you want – I went for classic mini pavlovas decorated with fresh berries. While the meringue can be quite finicky, all it takes is a little bit of patience and care and you’ll impress your friends in no time!
Mini Pavlovas
Ingredients
- 6 large egg whites, room temp
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (300g)
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1/2 tbsp freshly-squeezed lemon juice
- 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
Whipped Cream
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
Toppings
- Fresh Fruit of choice
- fresh mint, to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 225°F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Add the egg whites to the bowl of a stand mixer, and beat on high speed for 1-2 minutes with the whisk attachment, just until there are soft peaks. Keep the mixer at high speed, and slowly stream in the granulated sugar until it's all added. Beat the egg whites on high for another ~10 minutes, until glossy and smooth with stiff peaks.
- Add the vanilla and lemon juice, folding in with a spatula until fully incorporated, and then add the corn starch and fold that in as well. Scoop the meringue into a large piping bag with a large star tip.
- Pipe the meringue into ~3" little nests, making sure they've got some height to them. Give them a little space between each one on the baking sheet, though they won't really expand much so you don't need to give them a ton of space. Using the back of a spoon, make little craters into the tops of all of them, where the whipped cream will go.
- Bake the meringues for 1 hour and 15 minutes, and then turn off the oven and let them sit for another 30 minutes inside, making sure to keep the door shut. This slow dissipation of heat will help keep the meringue from cracking and keeping it's shape, so be patient! They should be dry to the touch on the outside, but the insides will still be nice and soft. Remove from the oven and allow to cool the rest of the way to room temp on a wire rack. Transfer all of them together on the parchment paper, they'll be easier to remove once they've cooled completely.
- When ready to serve, make the whipped cream. Add the heavy cream to the bowl of a stand mixer, and whisk on high speed until soft peaks form, then add the sugar and vanilla, if using it. Continue whisking until stiff peaks form, and then pipe into swirls on top of the pavlovas and top with fresh fruit.
- Unused meringues will keep for a few days at room temp in an air tight container, so you can make these ahead of time! Enjoy!
