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Pavlova is an elegant yet light dessert made with whipped egg whites and sugar, then topped with cream and fresh fruit. It’s almost too pretty to eat, but it’s easier to make than you think!
A pavlova is a meringue-based dessert named after the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, but invented in Australia. Like these peppermint meringues and sprinkle dipped meringues, pavlova has a crisp exterior and a soft, light interior; the difference is that pavlova is larger and the meringue is topped with whipped cream and fresh fruit. I love the contrasting textures and the overall lightness of this dessert—it’s perfect when you want something sweet to end a meal but don’t have the appetite for a decadent dessert!
Why You’ll Love This Pavlova Recipe
- Simple elegance. If you make pavlova for a dinner party, your guests will be impressed, but pavlova is also easy enough to make just as a treat for yourself. (Most of the time involved is cooling time!)
- Room for customization. While this pavlova recipe calls for strawberries and kiwis, you can top your pavlova with any combination of fresh fruit that you like. This makes it a perfect dessert for any season!
- Light and airy. Pavlova is a light, delicate dessert since so much of its volume is actually air!
What You’ll Need
Pavlova is one of those recipes that relies on precise ingredients measured accurately. You can switch up the toppings, but don’t make changes to the meringue! Scroll down to the recipe card below for exact measurements.
- Egg whites – Let these come to room temperature.
- Cornstarch – This helps the pavlova hold its shape and gives it a melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Salt – Table salt is fine.
- Granulated sugar – AKA your everyday white sugar.
- Vanilla extract – Choose clear vanilla extract if you want pure white pavlova. If you don’t care about the color, regular vanilla extract will do.
- Fruit – I used fresh strawberries and kiwis, but you can use whatever you have on hand or is in season. I share some ideas below.
- Fat-free whipped cream – Or frozen and thawed whipped topping.
How to Make Pavlova
Here’s a quick overview of the steps involved in making this pavlova recipe. See the recipe card below for more detailed instructions.
- Prepare. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Place a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet and draw six 4-inch circles on it. Flip the paper over and tape it to the baking sheet.
- Make the meringue. Use a mixer on high speed to beat the egg whites, cornstarch, and salt until they’re foamy. Add the sugar a tablespoon at a time, then the vanilla.
- Form the meringue nests. Divide the meringue mixture into the circles on the parchment paper; use the back of a spoon to shape them into nests.
- Bake. Place the baking sheet in the oven and reduce the temperature to 300ºF. Bake for 1 hour.
- Cool. Turn off the oven, but leave the baking sheet inside. Let the meringues cool inside the oven for 4 hours.
- Assemble. Transfer the meringues to plates or a serving platter. Top each with whipped cream and fruit.
Tips for Success
- Use clean, dry bowls and utensils. When beating egg whites, any trace of grease or moisture can prevent them from whipping up properly.
- Add the sugar gradually. Adding the sugar too quickly can cause the meringue to become grainy. It should completely dissolve before you add another tablespoon, which is how you get a smooth, glossy meringue.
- Avoid humidity. Humidity can prevent the pavlova from drying out properly, leading to a chewy texture instead of a crisp shell. Don’t make pavlova on a rainy or humid day!
- Be gentle with the meringue. When shaping the meringue into nests, handle it gently. Overworking the meringue can cause it to deflate.
More Topping Ideas
- Stone fruit. Peaches, plums, cherries, and nectarines are all delicious choices for topping pavlova. Mango would also be fantastic if you want to add some tropical flair.
- Chocolate drizzle. Drizzle melted dark over the top of the meringue nest (before adding the whipped cream) to add an extra layer of decadence.
- Lemon curd. The tart flavor of lemon curd pairs well with the sweetness of a pavlova and fresh fruit. Simply spread it on top before adding the whipped cream and fruit.
- Fresh berries. Berries are a natural choice for topping pavlova. Use a single variety or a few different kinds!
Proper Storage
Assembled pavlova has a very short shelf life—no more than 4 hours, depending on the amount of moisture in your fruit. It’s best to assemble just before serving, and only the amount you plan on eating right away.
- Room temperature. Unfilled meringue shells can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Make sure the container is sealed well to keep moisture out, as humidity will cause the meringues to become soft and sticky.
- Freezing. For longer storage, meringue shells can be frozen for up to 2 months. Place the meringues in a single layer in an airtight container, separating layers with parchment paper. When ready to use, let them thaw at room temperature before adding the toppings.
More Fruit Dessert Recipes
Pavlova
Pavlova is an elegant, light dessert that pairs airy meringue nests with whipped cream and fresh fruit. It's almost too pretty to eat!
Yield: servings
Serving Size: 1 pavlova
Ingredients
- 4 large egg whites, room temperature
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pint fresh strawberries, sliced
- 3 kiwis, sliced
- 1-1/2 cups fat free whipped cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Draw 6 (4-inch) circles on paper, I used a plastic lid as my guide. Turn paper over; secure with masking tape.
- Beat egg whites, cornstarch, and salt at high speed of a mixer until foamy.
- Slowly add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until thick and glossy.
- Add vanilla, beating well.
- Divide egg white mixture evenly among the 6 drawn circles. Shape meringues into nests with 1-inch sides using the back of a spoon. Place meringues in oven.
- Immediately reduce oven temperature to 300°; bake 1 hour.
- Turn oven off; cool meringues in closed oven at least 4 hours or until completely dry. (Meringues are done when the surface is dry and meringues can be removed from paper without sticking to fingers.) Carefully remove meringue nests from paper.
- Assemble the pavlovas by topping with 1/4 cup whipped cream in each nest, then arrange fresh fruit on top.
- The meringue shells can be kept frozen for up to two months. Remove them from freezer before you assemble the pavlovas, no reheating required.
Last Step:
Please leave a rating and comment letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business to thrive and continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you.Nutrition
Serving: 1 pavlova, Calories: 221.5 kcal, Carbohydrates: 51 g, Protein: 3.5 g, Fat: 0.5 g, Sodium: 50 mg, Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 38 g
This looks fantastic! I have some friends coming over for dessert and one of them doesn't do gluten- are these gluten free? (kinda new to the whole thing!)
Hi Gina! I tried out this recipe 2 times today, the first time I used powdered sugar instead of granulated so I threw it out and made another batch using granulated sugar, and it did turn out thick and glossy but not as thick as yours looked, even after I put it in the oven for an hour, and waited 4 hours with the oven off, after I removed the tray from the oven they could not be lifted off without cracking, every single one crumbled and were really really hard, the crumbs did still taste good! But why did mine not work out? I followed the instructions perfectly.. Thank you
Gina, This is a great recipe. My husband has Celiac and loves desserts and he would love,love, love this one! In fact, his birthday is soon so this will be his birthday 'cake'.
Gorgeous dessert! This looks so delicious, strawberries and kiwis go so well together! 🙂
I would imagine so!
If you make these with Splenda are they less points?
This looks like a great dessert. But there is a difference between a meringue and a pavlova. This is a meringue recipe. A pavlova should have a soft centre and contains some kind of acid such as lemon juice or vinegar.
That's interesting! My vanilla was dark wich is why these didn't come out white.
I grew up eating these in Milwaukee. We call them Shaum Torte. Most people haven't heard of them unless they're from Europe or Wisconsin. I make these once a month as a treat, just like my family used to do 🙂 The ones they make at the bakeries back home (WI) are beautiful and white! I don't know how they do it.
I have made these twice, the second time for a large group. They were quite a hit! My family can't get enough of these!
Oh and the first time I made these, it was a very stormy day and it did make a difference. I didn't notice till I had made them a second time, but the centers were kinda chewy on the batch I made when it was raining. Either way though, they were amazing!!
Thanks for the awesome recipe!
Made these tonight with Splenda, they were fantastic. Topped with macerated strawberries and blueberries with lite cool whip. Will for sure make again. Thank you for the recipe.
Thanks for noticing that, I just adjusted.
I used my calculator and it says 6 points?
Oh my … made these today and they're heavenly! Also very large! I've never had meringue that melted in my mouth like this. Absolutely fantastic. Thank you!
Wish I did that! : )
Yummy! I made this yesterday for a family valentine party. Tinted the meringue pink and made them heart shaped….big hit Thanks! My mother-in-law asked where I bought them
I am sooo making this for Vanentines! My kids are going to be in LOVE!
another YUM! I love the sound of that dressing, must try
Fun to make and fun to eat! I took mine from the oven after 1 hour of cooling. PERFECT!
Thank You!
This dish looks delicious . This prepare very easy.
I might have to give these babies a whirl. I have some fresh fruit in the fridge that needs some love.
I'm new to you site. Love your recipes. Can't weight to try this one.
wait!
That looks gorgeous and I cannot wait to make it too. Thanks for posting all your fantastic recipes.
Dana, it's there you probably overlooked it.
Thanks Katie, sure as long as you link back. No photos though, they are all copyright.
Hi Gina – I might be missing something, but when would you add the vanilla? These look yummy! 🙂
I love your blog and I plan on trying out some of recipes and even maybe blogging about it if you wouldn't mind. I also added your blog to my links on my blog:
http://storyunfolded.blogspot.com/
I love pavlovas! And you can always add different kinds of fruit to them 🙂
You have so many great ideas. thank you!! It's just what I've been needing. I am passing along the Stylish Blogger Award. Stop by and pick it up. 4growingboys.blogspot.com
Hi all, so many comments since I last looked so I'll try to answer them all. First to clarify, you should count the fruit in a recipe, but I'll leave that up to you how you want to handle that, subtract one point without the fruit.
missfrecklehead LOVE the kiwi tip and I bought the plate at Home Goods last year. Love it.
Tracy, this recipe was perfect, I tried with powdered sugar and the results were bad.
I don't know if Splenda would work, you'll have to test it out but it would be an experiment.
Martha, that sounds lovely!
You fill the shells when you are ready to serve them. Not before.
Mary- I have not been able to figure that out, but a fat free vanilla pudding would work instead.
Can a person whip fat free whipping cream, just likeregular whipping cream?
Mary
replacing the white sugar with some brown sugar is also a nice alternative in a pavlova! it makes it caramely/coffee tasting. delicious with chocolate shavings, strawberries and cream 🙂
Just alter the recipe in the recipe builder if you want to use something different.. I'm sure that's what she'd have to do anyway.
These are gorgeous! Never heard of pavlovas, they look and sound great!
Perfect dessert and the strawberries have been soooo sweet lately! ~Leslie
Hi Gina,
Love the site, can you tell me how many points plus is the merinque is without the topping?
Thanks,
Tina
Hi Gina!
First off…I love your website. I've made about 10 of your recipes in the past two weeks! My fav so far is the pasta and bean soup , aka "pasta fagioli".
My question for this recipe, which looks delish, is if you substituted splenda for the sugar what would the points+ be?
Thanks so much!
Kristi
Fruits and Vegetables still have points values when used in the recipe builder.. it's not a flaw, that's the way it's always been and still is.
How far in advance can you fill these? Will they get soggy? I've never made merges before but these are beautiful. I would love to try them.
Oh Gina…. you know dessert is my weakness! and these look heavenly! I love strawberries and kiwi too. it's perfect! i already made cheesecake cups for this afternoon, darn! or I would have made these! can't wait to make these!!!
Those look beautiful!
I hav found with meringues that when I make a recipe that has salt they never reach a firm peak. Did you have this problem or is it possible that it is not the salt and another issue with my meringue.
I like the tint of brown. It makes this treat look like a warmer, wintery indulgence. Yum!
These look amazing! I cannot wait to try them! Thank you Gina!!
I would not count the fruit (it's fresh, right?) in this recipe. You count them when you *cook* them or alter them in any way, but not when they're fresh. This looks fantastic, I can't wait to try!!
I will be trying this! Yum!
Looks so pretty and yummy!! Is that plate part of a set? I've been on the hunt for new dinnerware and love that!
I have a kiwi tip from pastry school if you're interested. To remove the skin without having to peel it, cut both ends off of the kiwi, then slip the back of a spoon between the skin and flesh and run it all the way around the fruit. The skin will come right off and you'll have perfectly round kiwi when you slice it!
Those look so pretty, wish I could reach thru the internet for a taste!
Ha, we're on the same page!
nice… like it, thanks for sharing, wish u hv a wonderful weekend^^
I honestly think there are times when you're a mind reader. I wanted chicken soup a while back and up pops the chicken and rice with mushrooms. Having a dinner party next Sat and thought I need to get on hunt for Pavlova. And first place I looked .. HA! Thanks, Gina.
Thanks Jes, I was told you count the fruit when used in a recipe, it's up to you whether you want to count it or not.
Can't wait to make this! My husband is allergic to dairy, so it's so nice to find desserts he can enjoy! When I ran this recipe through the recipe builder, I left out the fruit, since it is 0 points, and I came up with 4 pp a serving. The WW site has a flaw where if you put the fruit in, it will calculate them has having points. Anyways, Gina, you never cease to amaze me, and I'm slowly learning to cook thanks to you!
Elegant, tasty, and healthy!
These look devine! Can't wait to try them!
Oh my stars…these look lovely!
kisses
Heather