The perfect pavlova recipe. Fruity, sweet, chewy and creamy. This light and delicious dessert is so easy to make and its the perfect summer dessert especially when entertaining because you can make this pavlova recipe ahead of time then just assemble before serving.
Doesn’t this pavlova look spectacular!
I promise, it tastes as good as it looks and it is pretty easy to make. Debbie and I don’t do a lot of desserts, though I always jump at the chance to make one. I really enjoy baking, it was the first thing I loved to do in the kitchen and I used to bake all the time, but my waistline can’t handle baking like it used to…
This pavlova recipe is not super easy on the calories, but it is light and fluffy and doesn’t leave you with a heavy feeling in your tummy.
What is pavlova?
Pavlova is a traditional New Zealand and Australian dessert. It’s basically a meringue dessert made by whipping egg whites and adding sugar and a little vinegar. It’s usually topped with whipped cream and fresh fruit or fruit compote.
Can you make this Pavlova recipe ahead of time:
Yes! That’s one thing that makes this dessert so great for entertaining. You can make the meringue and the cherry compote even a couple days ahead of time, but you can’t assemble the dessert until right before you serve it.
As long as your house isn’t really humid, you can keep the meringues wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight container on the counter and they will stay firm for a day or two. Don’t put them in the fridge as the meringues will absorb the moisture from the fridge and they will wilt and get wrecked.
If your house is humid, eat them right away 🙂
Did I mention how gorgeous it is?
Say you are having a dinner party and you bring this beauty pavlova out for dessert. It looks impressive. Like you really know what your doing, but if you can beat eggs in a mixer, stir some sugar and cherries together with wine in a pot, and whip some cream to top it all off then you can make this pavlova recipe.
The hardest part is keeping your fingers out of the whipped cream and not drinking the wine you need for the cherry compote!
How do you make pavlova?
- whip egg whites, sugar, and a little vinegar to stiff peaks and then form it into round discs on parchment lined baking trays.
- bake it slowly so that the outside gets a nice crust and the inside is soft and fluffy. Let it cool completely before trying to take it off the baking tray.
- You can bake it as one tall layer slightly concaved in at the top to fill with fruit and whipped cream, you can layer it like we did and fill the layers with billowy mounds of whipped cream and mascarpone cheese, or you can also make mini pavlovas and serve them as individual desserts. Love that idea.
They look impressive and fancy, but as you can see, they are quite easy to make!
Alternative toppings for this pavlova recipe:
This dessert is fabulous with fresh fruit, but we love a good fruit compote/sauce and this one with fresh cherries and red wine was our top pick, but there are countless ways to make this desert your own.
I have made it with a raspberry sauce which was delicious and I have seen it made with chocolate added to the meringue or drizzled on top. Strawberries, kiwi’s, or passion fruit on top or a combination of fruits would be sooo good too. Any fruit in season is the best fruit to use.
Any kind of fruit curd would be amazing. Like lemon, or rhubarb or a raspberry curd! Holy yum!! (also a great way to use up the leftover egg yolks)
If you want this to be an even lighter dessert, leave the whipping cream out altogether and just serve the Pavlova with fresh fruit alone or topped with a fruit compote.
So many delicious options!
Useful tools to make this perfect pavlova recipe even easier:
- Parchment Paper – a staple in our kitchens and a must for this pavlova recipe
- Silicone Baking Mats – these are so awesome and versatile! We often use parchment paper, but these work the same and are reusable.
- Baking Sheet – these sheets without sides are great because you can easily slide the Pavlova off the trays without having to lift and possibly wreck the rounds.
- Cake Stand – you need a cake stand to display this beautiful dessert. We LOVE these ones:
- white cake stand
- rustic cake stand
- another rustic cake stand – I think this one is my favorite…
- this blue cake stand is soooooo pretty too!
If you’ve tried this pickled beet salad recipe then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let us know how it turned out in the comments below. We love hearing from you!
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