Pavlova may just be my new favorite dessert. It’s crunchy on the outside, soft and marshmallowy on the inside, and is the absolute perfect showcase for seasonal fruit and homemade whipped cream. Or chocolate. Or caramel. Or leftover jam from you last baking project. Literally anything can top these and because they are delicate, elegant, and light (all the things that made me afraid of trying in the first place) they will make you look like a baking god. Not to mention, I love a good five-ingredient dessert made with things I usually have in my pantry!
There has always been something incredibly daunting about meringue. It seems so delicate and elegant–everything I am not as a person. Pavlova in particular is named after Anna Pavlova, a ballerina. I thought that maybe I had no business making a dessert so light and sophisticated! In addition, the long bake time seemed overwhelming. I know I’ve allowed myself to be deterred by so many small things in my previous homebaker life. No more! This is the year we tackle things we previously determined impossible for us! GO US! We’re unstoppable!
I’m a total meringue novice, and as such, I really just dove right in. I suggest you do the same, because afterwards, I jumped down the meringue-making rabbit hole. I now know a little too much about acid’s place in egg white stabilization. Plus, had I read all the craziness and superstition about favorite ovens and not making meringue on a rainy or humid day (I live in Florida, so…), I may not have started at all. Some of the blogs I read talked about covering up cracks and what to do if it fails completely. It’s enough to make this neurotic, clumsy mess of a baker stick to chocolate chip cookies forever.
There are a couple of elements of this recipe that are finicky, but nothing about it is particularly hard. It just requires a couple of specific visual cues. First things first: your eggs need to be at room temperature. This is pretty non-negotiable. Ever try to dissolve sugar in a cold drink? (You die-hard sweet tea drinkers know what I’m talking about!) Same concept here. The sugar won’t dissolve well in the egg whites if they are cold, and you won’t get an even consistency. Another handy tip: separate your eggs, one at a time, in a separate bowl than the one you will be mixing in, then add to the main bowl after you are positive that no yolk (or eggshell) has gotten lost in your egg white. It seems like a time-consuming extra step that dirties another bowl, but I almost learned that the hard way on Egg #6 when I was making mine. The littlest bit of egg yolk can ruin meringue, and throwing out six eggs is worse than washing one extra bowl. Do as I say, not as I did, friends!
Next, you need to beat the eggs on high speed for about a minute or until the eggs reach soft peaks. You will know when you’ve reached this stage, because the egg whites have gone from clear and liquidy to white and opaque. When you pull up the beater, the eggs should hold their shape for a couple of seconds before disappearing back into themselves. At this point, start the mixer up to high again, and set a timer for 10 minutes. With the mixer going, add the sugar, a little at a time. Give the sugar time to dissolve before adding a little more. I watched the clock, added the sugar in 4 parts over the first four minutes. Near the end of the timer, you will look for stiff peaks.
Stiff peaks will hold its shape both in the bowl and on the whisk when you hold it upside-down. Alternatively, you can take the risk of turning the mixing bowl up-side down over your head. That’s the brave and more impressive way, and the way they do it on cooking shows, but I would suggest testing with the beater first. (Yes, I totally held it over my head. I’m a daredevil!)
The mixture should be smooth and glossy. From here, you gently fold in the lemon juice and vanilla. Once those are incorporated, you add the cornstarch. I sifted my cornstarch over the mixture, but I’m not sure if that’s technically necessary. It was just a little clumpy, and I wasn’t taking chances. I may be cavalier, but I’ve been burned before (see my sifting woes with my Chocolate Swiss Roll.
Once the cornstarch is full incorporated, you put it into a piping bag (or just a ziplock, which works just as well). I happen to have a few decorating tips (I used an open star tip) randomly around, but if you don’t, honestly, you can get a perfectly fine result by going without. Just cut a hole in the corner of the bag and pipe away. If we’re being entirely honest, you don’t really need a bag at all. You could just spoon it on the parchment or silicone mat and push down the center to form the shape to hold the filling. My piping skills are not stellar, and the result was still very pretty, so no matter which way you do it, it’s going to look and taste awesome! If you do decide to pipe, start in the center and swirl outward, then build up the side and back to the center. Use a spoon to indent the center and make a little “nest” for the toppings to sit.
I didn’t really know how big to make the mini pavlovas. The recipe I used said it made 15. I ended up with nine, and probably enough around the edges of the bowl to make a tenth. I have a tiny oven, though, so this was probably the way to go for me. Because of this, I decided to adjust the bake time a little to allow for them to get completely done.
The hands-down hardest thing for me about this bake was to leave them in the oven and never open the door. It is, however, extremely important. You’re essentially just slowly drying out the meringues, so opening the oven door introduces more moisture and cooler air. Even after you bake them for the appropriate amount of time, you leave them in the oven with it off while they slowly cool. Removing them right away into a cooler and more humid environment “shocks” the meringue and causes cracks. So, whatever you do, keep that door closed!
Here’s another do as I say, not as I did moment: Don’t get involved in something else, ignore your iPhone timer, and then panic 30 minutes later because your pavlovas are still baking away in the oven… It’s a long bake time at 1 hour 15 minutes, so it’s incredibly easy to get caught up in, say…cleaning (yeah, right) or (more likely) scrolling through other people’s baking photos on Instagram. I was going to add a little bake time anyway, but I accidentally added a bit more than intended. That being said, they were still great. I’ll let you know the next time I make them whether that extra 15 minutes made that much of a difference. My point is–don’t forget them, but if it happens, do not despair. They were pretty forgiving.
After the pavlovas bake and cool, they have this amazing crisp outer shell that melts in your mouth and a texture inside that is wonderfully fluffy. That inner marshmallow layer is what it would taste like to eat a cloud. Topped with berries and whipped cream, the whole experience is truly heavenly. You can also make these pretty far ahead of when you serve them. Keep them (without toppings) in an airtight container, unrefrigerated, for 3-5 days. They’ll last a couple of hours on display once topped. Bonus: your friends and family will think you are a baking boss.
Mini Pavlova
A light, pillowy dessert with a heavenly, crunchy exterior and a marshmallowy inner layer, perfect for showcasing fresh, seasonal fruits or any toppings you can dream up! Original recipe compliments of natashaskitchen.com
Ingredients
- 6 Egg Whites, room temperature
- 1 1/5 cups White Granulated Sugar
- 2 tsp Corn Starch
- 1/2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1/2 Tbsp Vanilla Extract
- Toppings of your choice
Directions
- Step 1 Preheat oven to 225F. Line a large baking or cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
- Step 2 Using an electric mixer (stand mixer is easiest!) beat 6 egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form (about a minute)
- Step 3 With mixer still on, gradually add sugar. Continue beating on high for a total of about 10 minutes, or until stiff peaks form
- Step 4 Using a spatula, gently fold in lemon juice and vanilla. Sift cornstarch over the top, fold in and mix until incorporated
- Step 5 Pipe or spoon meringue on the parchment. Indent the center with the back of a spoon, shaping a “nest” for the toppings
- Step 6 Bake at 225F for 1 hour 15 minutes (5-15 min longer if making slightly larger meringues). After that time, turn oven off, but leave meringues in the hot oven for another 30 minutes to gradually cool. Do not open the oven during this entire process!
- Step 7 Transfer partially cooled pavlovas (still on the parchment) to a counter or a cooling rack and allow to cool to room temperature
- Step 8 Once cool, heap on toppings of your choice and serve! (Store extras in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days!)
Find recipe I followed to make this here
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