Summer Christmas dessert · adaptation of a traditional recipe
Christmas pavlova: crisp shell, marshmallow centre, summer fruit
The Australian Christmas pavlova: a crisp meringue shell with a soft marshmallow middle, topped with whipped cream and summer fruit. Weights in grams and millilitres, oven at 120 °C, cooling in the oven, how far ahead to bake it in a hot December and why it cracks or weeps.
Adaptation of a traditional recipe, written in our own words. Every oven runs differently: go by the colour and texture, not only the clock.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Baking
- 1 h 30 min
- Total
- 4 h 30 min
- Makes
- 1 pavlova, about 23 cm (8 serves)
Ingredients
- Meringue
- 140 gegg whites, at room temperature (about 4 large eggs)
- 220 gcaster sugar
- 1 tspwhite vinegar
- 2 tspcornflour
- 1 tspvanilla extract
- Topping
- 300 mlthickened cream, chilled
- 1 tbspicing sugar, optional
- 4passionfruit pulp, about 4 passionfruit
- 250 gstrawberries, halved
- 2kiwi fruit, sliced
- 150 gmango or cherries, optional
Method
- 1
Preheat the oven to 120 °C (fan-forced 100 °C). Draw a 20 cm circle on a sheet of baking paper, flip it onto a tray and place it so the pencil mark is underneath.
- 2
Make sure the bowl and beaters are completely clean and dry (no grease or yolk). Beat the egg whites on medium-high until soft peaks form.
- 3
Add the caster sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, beating for about 30 seconds between additions, until the meringue is thick, glossy and the sugar has dissolved (rub a little between your fingers: it should feel smooth, not gritty). This takes about 10 minutes.
- 4
Sift the cornflour over the top, add the vinegar and vanilla, and fold in gently with a large spoon.
- 5
Pile the meringue into the circle, building the sides up slightly and making a shallow hollow in the centre for the cream.
- 6
Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, until the outside is dry and crisp and pale cream. Turn the oven off, prop the door open slightly with a wooden spoon and leave the pavlova to cool completely in the oven, at least 1 hour or overnight.
- 7
Just before serving (within 1 to 2 hours), whip the cream with the icing sugar to soft peaks. Slide the pavlova onto a plate, spoon the cream into the hollow and top with passionfruit and fruit.
How to tell it's done
The shell feels dry and firm when tapped, is a pale cream colour (not brown) and lifts off the paper cleanly. The inside stays soft and marshmallow-like. A little cracking on top is normal.
Food safety
The egg whites are baked, but the cream and fruit are not: keep the cream chilled until serving, don't leave a topped pavlova out on a hot day for more than 2 hours (1 hour above 32 °C), and wash the fruit. Any bowl or beaters with grease will stop the egg whites from whipping.
What to make ahead
Bake the shell 1 to 2 days ahead and store it in an airtight container at room temperature. In a humid or hot December keep it somewhere dry and cool. Whip the cream and add the fruit only 1 to 2 hours before serving, or it will go soft.
Storing
Unfilled meringue shell: 2 to 3 days airtight at room temperature, not in the fridge. Once topped, a pavlova is best eaten straight away; leftovers keep in the fridge for 1 day but will soften. Do not freeze the topped pavlova.
Tips
- Use egg whites at room temperature and weigh them: 140 g is about 4 large eggs.
- Add sugar slowly and beat until it dissolves: gritty meringue weeps sugary syrup after baking.
- Leave it to cool in the oven: a sudden change of temperature makes the shell crack or collapse.
- For a hot Australian Christmas, make the shell a day ahead and top it at the last minute. Humidity is the enemy of crisp meringue.
- Dairy-free option: top with coconut whipped cream and tropical fruit; the meringue itself needs no dairy.
Allergens
- Egg
- Milk (cream)
- Passionfruit and kiwi fruit (some people react to these)
Always check the labels of the products you buy.
Frequently asked questions
How long do you cook a pavlova?
At 120 °C (fan-forced 100 °C) for about 1 hour 15 minutes, then turn off the oven and leave it to cool inside for at least 1 hour or overnight.
Why did my pavlova crack?
Some cracking is normal. Large cracks usually come from an oven that was too hot, or cooling too fast. Bake low and slow and let it cool in the oven with the door slightly open.
Why is my pavlova weeping?
Droplets of syrup on the surface mean the sugar did not fully dissolve, or the pavlova was baked in a humid room. Add the sugar slowly and rub a little between your fingers: it should be smooth.
How far ahead can I make a pavlova?
The meringue shell keeps 2 to 3 days in an airtight container at room temperature. Add the cream and fruit 1 to 2 hours before serving.
Can you make pavlova the day before?
Yes. Bake the shell and cool it overnight, then top it just before serving. Don't refrigerate the shell.
What fruit goes on a Christmas pavlova?
Passionfruit, strawberries, kiwi fruit, mango, cherries and blueberries are classic summer toppings in Australia.
How many eggs do you need for a pavlova?
4 large egg whites (about 140 g) and 220 g caster sugar make a 23 cm pavlova for about 8 serves.