Equipment
Ingredients
Meringue Base
- 4 egg whites, room temperature
- 225 g caster sugar
- 5 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 5 ml vanilla extract
- 1 g kosher salt
Topping
- 300 ml heavy whipping cream, cold
- 15 g powdered sugar
- 200 g strawberries, hulled and quartered
- 150 g raspberries, fresh
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 271 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbohydrates
- 35 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 33 g
- Sodium
- 84 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 9 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 42 mg
- Potassium
- 129 mg
- Calcium
- 35 mg
- Iron
- 0.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 12 mg
- Phosphorus
- 36 mg
- Zinc
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 155 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 20 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.6 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 3 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.02 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.16 mg
- Niacin
- 0.3 mg
- Folate
- 12 mcg
- Water
- 75 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 120 degrees Celsius (250 degrees Fahrenheit). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and draw an 8-inch circle on the underside of the paper to use as a guide.
In a spotlessly clean, grease-free mixer bowl, beat the egg whites and kosher salt on medium speed until soft peaks form.
Increase the mixer speed to medium-high. Add the caster sugar one tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue to beat until the meringue is very stiff and glossy.
Remove the bowl from the mixer. Sprinkle the lemon juice and vanilla extract over the meringue, then use a spatula to gently fold them in until just incorporated.
Spoon the meringue onto the parchment paper inside the drawn circle. Use your spatula to shape it into a disc, smoothing the sides and creating a slight depression in the center to hold the cream and berries later.
Place the baking sheet in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 90 degrees Celsius (195 degrees Fahrenheit). Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Turn the oven off completely. Leave the pavlova inside the oven with the door closed to cool completely.
Shortly before serving, pour the cold heavy cream into a mixing bowl. Add the powdered sugar and whip until soft peaks form.
Carefully peel the parchment paper off the cooled pavlova and place it on a serving platter. Spoon the whipped cream into the center depression, spreading it out in a thick, cloud-like layer.
Garnish generously with the fresh strawberries and raspberries, piling them high on top of the cream. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Eggs separate easiest when they are cold, but egg whites whip to their maximum volume when they are at room temperature. Separate them straight out of the fridge, then let the whites sit for 30 minutes before whipping.
- For Passover observance, commercial powdered sugar often contains cornstarch, which many avoid. You can make your own by blending granulated sugar in a high-speed blender or food processor until it becomes a fine powder.
- The acid in this recipe (lemon juice) provides stability to the egg foam and creates the signature marshmallowy interior that distinguishes a pavlova from standard, entirely crisp meringues.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 hours — Assembled pavlova will become soggy. Store the whipped cream and berries separately if not serving immediately.
Troubleshooting
Golden syrup leaking from the bottom of the meringue
Cause: The sugar was not fully dissolved into the egg whites before baking.
Fix: Cannot be fixed, but the dessert will still taste excellent. Simply wipe away excess syrup from the serving plate.
Prevention: Add sugar very slowly and test the meringue by rubbing it between two fingers to ensure it is smooth, not gritty, before stopping the mixer.
The meringue collapses or cracks severely while cooling
Cause: Cooling too rapidly or opening the oven door during baking.
Fix: Cover the cracks and sunken areas generously with whipped cream and berries. No one will know.
Prevention: Leave the pavlova in the turned-off oven until it reaches room temperature, undisturbed.
Egg whites will not whip into peaks
Cause: Trace amounts of fat in the bowl, on the whisk, or from a broken egg yolk.
Fix: Cannot be fixed. You must start over with fresh egg whites and a meticulously clean bowl.
Prevention: Wash all equipment thoroughly and wipe with an acid like lemon juice. Separate eggs while cold to prevent the yolks from breaking.
Cultural Context
The Pavlova is a fiercely contested culinary icon, with both Australia and New Zealand claiming its invention in the 1920s. It was named in honor of the Russian prima ballerina Anna Pavlova during her tours of the nations, designed to mimic the airy lightness of her tutu. Its natural lack of flour or leavening agents makes it a widespread favorite during the Jewish holiday of Passover.
