Strawberry Pavlova Recipe (2024)

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Cooking Notes

Aunty Bob

Please know pavlova is a New Zealand creation. Australians get in a bit of a tizzy about it. But they are wrong. The eggs MUST be at room temperature. For four egg whites (rather small pav) I recommend reducing cornstarch to a bit less than 1 ½ tsp and vinegar to a scant ¾ tsp. 350 degrees is waaaay too hot~ 250 is good and never ever open the oven door. And don’t even think about sweetening the whipped cream. That’s all I got. Kia ora!

Jada

A nice option instead of the whipped topping is making any type of fruit curd for the pavlova! It's an easy way to use those leftover egg yolks.
Lemon, passion fruit, rhubarb curd - all yummy and so easy to make.

The fruit curd can also be a lovely addition to the whipped topping instead of the fresh strawberries if you don't have any fresh fruit available!

Patricia Sears

I followed the meringue recipe exactly except I heeded one note of advice here by a reader to bake at lower temperature (250). It was a disaster. A flat, beige coloured sticky mess.

So, I remade following Jamie Oliver's recipe for meringue. (6 egg whites, 300 grams of sugar, pinch of salt, bake at 300 for an hour. Ooh wow. BEAUTIFUL. Crackling crust of golden and cream meringue with meltingly fluffy interior.

This was the hit of my son's 30th birthday party.

CynthiaPDX

Outstanding flavors - particularly with strawberries at their peak! The amount of meringue is tremendous and could easily serve 8. I divided the meringue into serving side rounds and baked it that way which made serving very easy.

grace

Good idea, but he meringue was way too sweet, even as meringues go. I'd cut sugar by .25c next time and maybe bake at lower temp to get more gooeyness in the middle. The Tartine Bakery meringues are my ideal, so I might try to follow those instrux instead I added cacao nibs to meringue to good effect.

caarin

Made a pavlova yesterday for a dinner party. This was among 10 recipes I used to come up with the correct time and temperature for baking. Thank goodness for reviews!! So many people complained about the heat - and the sweet. As a result, I used 5 egg whites, 1 cup of sugar. Preheated the oven to 300°, Baked at 250° for 1hr 15 minutes, then let it sit for an hour until oven went cold. Still the tiniest bit brown in spots but crunchy, gooey, yum. If you want it to stay white - low and slow.

Deborah

I haven't read through all the comments but if no one mentioned the weather factor--or even if they did, it's worth mentioning again--here it is: do not attempt to make a meringue on a humid day. Just don't do it, it will fail. You will be unhappy. Trust me. Wait for a high pressure system.

Alicia

How far in advance can you make the meringue?

Jean

Delicious, fun to make and a pleasure to serve. I happen to have a convection oven (which finishes backed goods faster) and we tend to like a little gooey at the center, so I leave this in the oven for only one hour. Crisp outside, a little gooey in the center, lush with fruit. Of course, the base invites invention with whatever fruits you have on hand: mixed frozen berries in winter, oranges with liqueur...

tamsen

So, it's OK to make the meringue a day before? How do I store it for dessert in the evening?

Simone Brightstein

I think the 300oF temp is too high. I always bake meringues at 275 for an hour, then turn off the oven and leave them overnight. They stay pure white and beautifully crisp.

gigi

i have been making a similar pavlova for years and tried this one. agree that the oven temp is too high - i find 250-275 degrees works better. and allow the oven to go cold. sometimes i sugar down some of the berries (i use whatever i have from the garden), add a bit of those first, then whipped cream, then fresh berries. delicious. i used to have a similar recipe made with a mocha mousse filling, called mocha angel pie and published in the NYT Sunday paper in about 1970. always a hit,

Nicole

I used the recipe but served it with raspberries and blackberries and also added a layer of tart lemon curd. Delicious. A great recipe to riff on -the meringue was particularly good (I decreased the sugar a bit and used a scant cup based on the comments).

Sean

Based on several of the comments on this recipe I cooked the meringue at 250 for 90 minutes and then turned the oven off and let it cool for a further hour. Turned out perfectly.

Kelley

Beautiful & delicious. My first pavlova, made from another recipe cracked and I deemed too unattractive to serve so I decided to try this one. It made a lovely, glossy meringue, but the cooking temperature was far too hot and the pavlova, while still lovely, took on some color like a lightly toasted marshmallow at the one hour mark. Next time, I would cook at a lower temperature for just one hour to keep the pavlova from browning. One cup of sugar was plenty.

My Recipe

I used one egg white per 1/4 cup of sugar. I’m no expert, but it was delicious and my mother who hates meringue loved it!

Kat

So so good! Definitely turn oven down to 250, not just 300. Think I should have cracked oven for cooking once baking time was over and oven turned off. Made lemon curd and layered that on under whipped cream and mixed berries.

Amy J

Made lemon curd in place of strawberries. Needed more lemon curd…

eve

This is one of my very favorite dessert of all time. I find, however, I don’t need nearly as much sugar as it cost for. I had an extra egg whites so I use that and then only used about half of the sugar. I’m not opposed to tasting uncooked food. If you aren’t either, you may want to taste it before you add all.

Jack

Use cream of tartar instead of vinegar

Pavlova Convert

This was delicious! Echo others re: oven temp and sweetness. I baked at 300 but not for the full hour -- shut my oven off at 45 minutes and left the meringue in the oven for a few hours until assembly. One cup of sugar was plenty (and still super sweet, in my opinion) and I topped it with a lemon curd before the whipped cream, which turned out to be essential in order to balance the overall sweetness. I took others' advice and did not add sugar to the whipped cream, just vanilla.

BabzBeck

I made this following the preheat at 300 and reduce to 275 Temps. Since it is the holidays, I used my homemade cranberry sauce and whipped cream. OMG, WHY have I never made this before? I am in love!

Amanda

Reduce sugar to 1 cupStart at 350 once put in oven reduce to 250 (convection bake)

Brandon

You HAVE to adjust the temperatures on this recipe. they are way too hot. Just read the comments! Mine turned out brown, too bad.

Brianne McElhiney Noonan

This is my go to recipe. Love it. I do however agree with others about cooking it at 250. For those of you who live in humid or coastal areas, I will share my little trick. Typically I make this ahead of time, sometimes even several days. It's fun to make mini ones too. As soon as they finish cooling completely in the oven, I put them in an airtight container with a bag of dry rice with tiny holes poked in it. This helps keep them perfectly crisp for several days.

susan

I use the yolks to make lemon curd and add it as a layer to the pavlova. It cuts the sweetness and provides a wonderful citrus accent

Sharanya

Idk what I’m doing wrong but mine never got crispy it just stayed gooey and I was concerned about it burning so I just kept it that way! I think meringues are just not for me

beth

6 eggs1 1/4. c sugar3/4 vinegar1 1/2 tsp cornstarch 300 preheat250 when put inCooked for an hour

kim eckroth

Unbelievably easy and delightful! I followed these notes for baking: I cut the sugar down by 1/4 cup, I separated cold eggs and let the egg whites come to room temperature before whipping up, and baked at 275 for 90 minutes, keeping it in the oven overnight. Perfection!

Candida

Made this with raspberries from my back yard, substituting Chambourg liqueur for balsamic vinegar. Fabulous!

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Strawberry Pavlova Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What does vinegar do in pavlova? ›

Acid – you can use 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar or 1 teaspoon white, apple cider vinegar, or even lemon juice. The pavlova will NOT taste like vinegar, I promise. The acid helps the egg whites hold onto air and, like the sugar, helps prevent the egg whites from collapsing.

Why won't my pavlova go crispy? ›

Pavlova shell isn't crisp: is it humid? Pavlovas love to soak up moisture, so avoid making them on humid days. Egg whites won't whip: make sure your metal or glass mixing bowl is completely clean and dry, with no oily residue.

How long does homemade pavlova last? ›

It's best to cook your pavlova as close to when you want to eat it as possible. If kept very carefully, they can last up to two days. To store pavlova and avoid it turning soft, follow these steps: Make your pavlova on a dry (not humid) day.

Should eggs be cold or room temperature for pavlova? ›

Are cold or room temperature eggs better for pavlova? Room temperature egg whites will create a more stable and airier meringue. Remove eggs from fridge 30-60 minutes before using. Eggs are easier to separate when cold, so you can separate the eggs first then let them come to room temperature.

What happens if you put too much vinegar in pavlova? ›

The pavlova should be white or slightly beige in colour, crisp to the touch and soft on the inside. If you have accidentally added too much vinegar, bake the same pavlova again at 150C for half an hour. This will crips it up but also give it a slightly darker colour.

Is baking paper or foil better for cooking pavlova? ›

Make sure your utensils and egg whites are free of any grease. Do not use parchment paper or a greased and floured baking sheet– the meringue will often stick to them. Use aluminum foil.

How to tell when pavlova is done? ›

How Do I Know My Pavlova Is Done? A perfectly baked pavlova should be pale and look dry, but a skewer inserted in the meringue should come out with a thick sticky, marshmallow-like consistency. If you aren't sure about the pavlova's doneness, turn the oven off, open the door and leave the meringue for up to an hour.

Is it okay to make pavlova the day before? ›

Pavlovas are best made the day before eating, so if it's a wet or humid Christmas Eve, have a back-up dessert. You'll need bowls. Many bowls. And they need to be very dry, and very clean.

What's the difference between meringue and pavlova? ›

What's the Difference Between Pavlova and Meringue? Pavlovas and meringues are both made of whipped egg white, but a Pavlova has a delicate crispy exterior with pillowy soft marshmallow inside, while meringue is dry and crisp all the way through.

Do you leave the oven door open when cooking pavlova? ›

Once you start adding the sugar, then you can turn it up to a medium-high speed. Leave the oven door shut while cooking, then cool the pavlova in the oven with the door closed. Don't open the door at all as the sudden temperature changes can cause it to crack, and worse.

What is Pavlova magic? ›

White Wings Pavlova Magic Dessert Mix gives you that perfect Pavlova texture that's crusty on the outside but soft and light inside. It's very easy to make as well and won't take up too much of your time, great for serving in gatherings.

How to stop pavlova weeping? ›

Add in a teaspoon of maize starch to help stabilize the foam. Cracks & any bits of the pav that are weeping can be covered up with cream, fruit or fruit puree. If you think it really is a disaster break the pav into large chunks & turn it into Eton Mess.

Does vinegar stabilize meringue? ›

A small amount of cream of tartar or vinegar can be added to the mixture at the beginning of whipping to help stabilize the foam and make it less likely to collapse. Don't use plastic bowls—they can retain a film of fat from previously mixed or stored items that can deflate the meringue.

What does adding vinegar to milk do? ›

Yes, a new substance has been formed. The vinegar and milk react to form curds (a solid) and whey (a liquid). These curds cannot be returned to vinegar and milk. Once the curds are completely dried, they form a plastic that can be used.

How do I keep my pavlova from getting soggy? ›

Store your pavlova in a dry, airtight container.

An airtight container will help shield your meringue from moisture in the air.

What causes pavlova to be chewy? ›

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.

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