Classic Pavlova (2024)

Make the perfect pavlova every time with this easy pavlova recipe with step-by-step photos. Tips on how to make a pavlova with a crisp meringue shell and soft and chewy marshmallow centre.

Australian Pavlova

There is nothing which reminds me more of Australia than a classic pavlova. This was something I grew up eating at parties and celebrations, and a backyard BBQ was never complete without a pavlova dessert standing proud and tall on the kitchen table.

What is a Pavlova?

A pavlova is essentially one large meringue, topped with lashings of whipped cream and decorated with fruit.

For me, it is also really important that the pavlova is tall and high – a sign of a successful pavlova.

Easy Pavlova

A pavlova, if you get it right, can be a very easy dessert to make.

If we are having friends over for dinner, I simply make the pavlova first thing in the morning and then leave it unattended for the rest of the day, until just before serving when I will disappear into the kitchen to whip the cream and prepare the fruit topping.

And considering that I always have a stash of egg whites in the freezer, a pavlova can be a fairly economical dessert.

Pavlova Recipe

My pavlova recipe is adapted from Nigella Lawson, who adapted her recipe from the revered Australian cook, Stephanie Alexander.

It is a recipe which I turn to every time I want to make a pavlova, and which happens to be often because I consider pavlova to be an “easy” dessert which I can make with very few ingredients.

Plus, pavlova happens to be gluten-free, so this dessert appears every time I need to accommodate gluten-intolerance.

You could even make the complete dessert dairy-free by using coconut yoghurt in place of the whipped cream.

How to Make Pavlova

Step 1

Unless you really want to have a heavy duty upper arm workout, an electric stand mixer or an electric hand-held beater is an essential equipment when making a pavlova.

Place the egg whites into a large, clean bowl that is free from any grease.

To ensure that the egg whites whip up nicely, make sure that they are at room temperature.

Step 2

Whisk the egg whites until they have tripled in volume and form soft peaks when you lift the beaters.

Soft peaks mean that, when you lift the beaters, the mixture forms a peak which falls over or which does not stand.

At this stage, the beaten egg whites should look very soft and foamy.

Step 3

Next, add the sugar, one spoon at a time, until the egg whites transform into a thick and glossy mixture, and stiff peaks form when you lift the beaters.

Stiff peaks mean that, when you lift the beaters, the mixture forms a peak which holds its shape.

It is important to make sure that the sugar has been completely dissolved in the egg white mixture, but it is also important to not over-beat the mixture once you start adding the sugar.

To test that the sugar has been completely dissolved, simply rub a bit of mixture in between your finger tips.

Step 4

Add the cornflour, vinegar and vanilla. A few rotations of the stand mixer should be enough to mix in these ingredients.

The resulting pavlova mixture should be thick and firm, and it should hold its shape when you start piling it on the baking tray.

If the pavlova mixture is soft and runny, and you are unable to shape it into a high pavlova because the mixture keeps sliding, it means that you may have overbeaten the eggwhites or that you added the sugar too soon. Please see the FAQs below.

Step 5

Shape the pavlova on a baking tray lined with baking paper.

I recommend that you smooth the top of the pavlova so that it is relatively flat. This is so the whipping cream and any toppings which you add later can sit nicely on the pavlova.

If your pavlova is domed in shape, any cream and toppings which you add later will quickly slide off.

Step 6

Place the pavlova into the oven at 180°C/350°F.

Immediately turn down the temperature to 150°C/300°F.

Let the pavlova bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, and do not open the oven door during this time.

After the baking time, turn off the oven, and leave the pavlova to cool inside the closed oven for at least 2-3 hours, or preferably overnight.

Toppings for Pavlova

In Australia, the following are popular toppings for pavlova:

• passionfruit
• passionfruit and raspberries
• kiwi fruit and banana
• raspberries and strawberries

As the meringue base is quite sweet, sour fruits tend to work best to off-set the sweetness, together with the whipped cream (which should be unsweetened) to soften the crunchy exterior.

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FAQs

Why is my pavlova mixture soft and runny?If you start adding the sugar before the egg whites have reached the soft peak stage, or if you beat the egg whites for too long and are too far beyond the stiff peak stage, your meringue mixture will be soft and runny and won’t hold its shape once on the baking tray.

Why did my pavlova not rise?If you don’t properly incorporate the sugar until it dissolves completely, your pavlova may weep and fail to rise magnificently; it may even collapse.

Why did my pavlova collapse?If you open the oven door too soon, the sudden change in temperature may also cause your pavlova to fall and crumble. Even making a pavlova in humid temperatures can be problematic.

How can I rescue my flat pavlova?If something goes wrong and your pavlova collapses into a flat pancake once cooled, don’t despair – your pavlova will still taste great. Simply crumble the pavlova into a large serving bowl, stir through the whipped cream and passionfruit and you will have something similar to an Eton Mess which is traditionally made with strawberries.

How far in advance can I make a pavlova? I recommend baking the pavlova the night before you plan to serve it, or at least 5 to 6 hours before serving to give the pavlova time to cool and dry properly.

How long should the pavlova cool? I recommend at least 5 to 6 hours for the pavlova to cool and dry in the oven.

How far in advance can I decorate the pavlova? You should decorate the pavlova at the last minute, just before serving. Once you add whipped cream to the pavlova, the pavlova shell will start to soften and it may even collapse shortly after.

What causes a pavlova to be chewy? A pavlova is similar to a meringue, except that it also contains cornflour (cornstarch) and vinegar to produce a chewy centre. Allowing the pavlova to cool and dry in the oven for as long as possible also helps to make the pavlova extra crispy on the outside and chewy in the middle.

What makes a pavlova soft in the centre? If you don’t want a chewy pavlova and prefer instead a soft centre with more of a marshmallow texture, I suggest shaping a tall pavlova and to bake the pavlova for slightly less time (about 1 hour if using the recipe above).

Why is my pavlova brown? A pavlova will be “brown” or lightly-coloured if you use vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste, and if you bake it at a high temperature. This recipe starts by preheating the oven at a high temperature of 180°C (250°F) which helps to crisp up the shell. To make a white pavlova, you will need to omit the vanilla and bake at a lower temperature. See the recipe above for further instructions in the Kitchen Notes. However, please note that, by baking the pavlova at a lower temperature, the resulting pavlova will have a thinner shell and softer interior.

All of the aforementioned has happened to me in my quest to master this dessert. But practice makes perfect, and once you get an idea of what the beaten egg whites should look and feel like before you add the sugar and the rest of the ingredients, making pavlova will become second nature to you.

Update

This recipe was first published on 23 April 2014. It has been updated with new photos and more comprehensive recipe notes.