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Mini Pavlovas with Fresh Fruit and Whipped Cream Recipe

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★★★★★

4.6 from 197 reviews

This Mini Pavlovas recipe delivers light, crisp meringue nests with a soft marshmallow-like center topped with luscious whipped cream and fresh fruits. Perfect as an elegant dessert for any occasion, these pavlovas are baked low and slow to achieve the ideal texture and decorated with a medley of fresh berries and tropical fruits for a refreshing finish.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Meringue:

  • 160 ml / 2/3 cup egg whites (5 – 6 large eggs)
  • 1 1/4 cups caster sugar (superfine sugar)
  • 2 1/2 tsp cornflour (cornstarch)
  • 1 tsp white vinegar

For the Whipped Cream:

  • 1 1/2 cups heavy/thickened cream (whipping cream), cold
  • 3 tbsp caster sugar (superfine sugar)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

For Decoration:

  • Strawberries, diced into 1 cm cubes
  • Mangoes, diced into 1 cm cubes
  • Blueberries
  • Raspberries
  • Kiwi, sliced
  • Passionfruit pulp
  • Small mint sprigs
  • Icing sugar (powdered sugar), for dusting

Instructions

  1. Prepare Egg Whites: Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites while still cold from the refrigerator as it’s easier. Measure out 2/3 cup (160 ml) of egg whites and set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes to help them fluff better when beaten.
  2. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 150°C (325°F), suitable for all oven types to ensure even baking.
  3. Beat Egg Whites and Add Sugar: Using a stand mixer or electric beater, beat the egg whites on high speed for 1 minute. Gradually add the caster sugar one dessert spoon at a time while continuing to beat to dissolve the sugar evenly.
  4. Continue Beating: Beat the mixture on high for 8 minutes until it becomes fluffy, glossy, and free of sugar granules. Test by rubbing a bit between your fingers. Then, add the white vinegar and cornflour and beat for an additional 30 seconds to stabilize the meringue.
  5. Prepare Baking Trays: Dab a little meringue on the corners of two baking trays and cover them with parchment paper to keep the paper in place.
  6. Pipe Meringue Mounds: Transfer the meringue mixture to a large piping bag fitted with your choice of nozzle. Pipe 12 to 13 mounds about 6 to 7 cm (2.5 inches) wide and approximately 5 cm (2 inches) tall on the trays. Flatten the tops slightly and create a dent in the center to hold the cream and fruit later. The final height of the pavlovas should be about 4 cm (1.6 inches).
  7. Bake the Pavlovas: Place both trays in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 110°C (225°F) (or 100°C if using a fan oven). Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until the pavlovas are dry to the touch. If they feel sticky, continue baking, as exact times may vary.
  8. Cool in Oven: Turn the oven off and leave the pavlovas inside to cool completely for at least 4 hours or up to overnight (around 10 hours) to prevent cracking and to finish drying out.
  9. Store Properly: Once fully cooled, store the pavlovas in an airtight container in a cool, dry place until ready to use to maintain crispness.
  10. Whip the Cream: In a large bowl, beat the cold heavy cream, caster sugar, and vanilla extract on high speed until soft peaks form. This generally takes about 1 minute with a stand mixer or 2 to 3 minutes with a handheld beater.
  11. Assemble and Decorate: Just before serving, spoon a generous dollop of whipped cream into each meringue nest. Top with an assortment of fresh fruits like strawberries, mango, blueberries, raspberries, kiwi slices, and passionfruit pulp. Garnish with small mint sprigs and dust lightly with icing sugar if desired.

Notes

  • Use room temperature egg whites for better volume and fluffiness in your meringue.
  • Cornflour and vinegar stabilize the meringue and help achieve the characteristic marshmallowy center.
  • Baking at a low temperature for a longer time dries out the meringue without browning it, preserving its delicate texture.
  • Letting the pavlovas cool slowly in the oven minimizes cracking and shrinking.
  • Store fully cooled meringues in an airtight container to keep them crisp and prevent moisture absorption.
  • For stabilizing whipped cream, you may add a small amount of gelatin or use stabilizers according to your preferred method to maintain texture longer.
  • Decorate just before serving to avoid the meringue getting soggy from the cream and fruit.

Keywords: mini pavlovas, meringue dessert, pavlova recipe, whipped cream dessert, fruit pavlova, Australian dessert

Find it online: https://flavorsbymaya.com/mini-pavlovas-with-fresh-fruit-and-whipped-cream-recipe/