Mini Pavlovas with Whipped Cream and Fresh Fruit Recipe
These Mini Pavlovas are adorable individual meringue desserts with a delicate crisp shell and a marshmallow-like center with slightly chewy edges. Perfectly sized for easy serving and transportation, they are topped with rich whipped cream and fresh fruit, making them a delightful and visually appealing dessert for any occasion.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Total Time: 6 hours 15 minutes (including cooling time)
- Yield: 12 to 13 mini pavlovas
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Australian/New Zealand
Ingredients
Mini Pavlovas:
- 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
Whipped Cream:
- 1 1/2 cups heavy/thickened cream (whipping cream), COLD
- 3 tbsp caster sugar / superfine sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Toppings (choose any):
- Strawberries, mangoes – diced into 1cm / 1/3″ cubes
- Blueberries, raspberries, kiwi sliced, passionfruit pulp
- Small mint sprigs
- Icing sugar / powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Prepare Egg Whites: Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites while the eggs are cold from the fridge for easier separation. Measure out 2/3 cup (160 ml) of egg whites, approximately from 5 to 6 large eggs, and set aside to come to room temperature for 30 minutes to help them fluff better.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 150°C / 325°F (applicable for all oven types).
- Beat Egg Whites and Add Sugar: Using a stand mixer or electric beater, beat the egg whites on high speed for 1 minute. While still beating, add the caster sugar one dessert spoon at a time slowly, ensuring the mixture becomes glossy and no sugar grains remain.
- Continue Beating: Beat continuously for 8 minutes on high speed until the meringue is fluffy, glossy, and smooth. Then add the white vinegar and cornflour (cornstarch) and beat for an additional 30 seconds to stabilize the mixture.
- Prepare Baking Trays: Dab a bit of meringue on the corners of two trays to secure baking paper. Line trays with baking paper (parchment paper).
- Pipe Mini Pavlovas: Transfer the meringue mixture to a large piping bag fitted with a nozzle of your choice. Pipe 12 to 13 mounds about 6 to 7 cm (2.5 inches) wide and approximately 5 cm (2 inches) tall. Use a spoon to flatten the tops slightly and create a shallow dent to hold the cream and fruit later. After baking, the pavlovas should be about 4 cm (1.6 inches) high.
- Bake: Place both trays in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 110°C / 225°F (100°C fan). Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until the pavlovas are dry to the touch. If still sticky, continue baking but check frequently to avoid burning. The goal is to have a dry, lightly crispy shell with a marshmallowy center.
- Cool in Oven: Turn off the oven and leave the pavlovas inside to fully cool for at least 4 hours or ideally overnight (about 10 hours). This helps the shell dry further while retaining the marshmallow texture inside.
- Store: Once completely cool, store the pavlovas in an airtight container in a cool, dry place until ready to serve. Avoid humidity as it can make the shells sticky and chewy.
- Prepare Whipped Cream: In a large bowl, beat the cold heavy cream, caster sugar, and vanilla extract on high speed until soft peaks form, about 1 minute with a stand mixer or 2 to 3 minutes with a handheld beater. For make-ahead, stabilize the whipped cream using your preferred method to keep it fluffy.
- Assemble and Decorate: Just before serving, spoon a generous dollop of whipped cream into the dent on each pavlova, top with your choice of fresh diced fruit, berries, or passionfruit pulp, and garnish with small mint sprigs. Optionally, dust lightly with icing sugar for a pretty finish.
Notes
- Use fresh eggs for best results; avoid carton egg whites as they do not fluff up well.
- Separating egg whites while cold makes the process easier, and measuring by volume ensures consistent results due to egg size variability.
- Allow egg whites to come to room temperature for 30 minutes before beating to achieve better volume.
- White vinegar and cornflour stabilize the meringue and help prevent cracking.
- Stabilized whipped cream can be made ahead using powders, gelatin, or mascarpone; store in piping bag or airtight container and avoid stirring before use.
- Bake times may vary depending on oven heat distribution; pavlovas should be dry with lightly crisp shell but marshmallowy inside.
- For fully crisp meringue nests with no chewy centers, pipe a spiral base with two layers on the edge and bake 2 to 2.5 hours until fully crisp.
- Store pavlovas in airtight containers away from heat and humidity to maintain texture; best served the day they are taken out of the oven after cooling.
- Assemble pavlovas just before serving to prevent the cream from soaking into the meringue shell.
