Pavlova with fresh berries

I had egg whites from making tiramisu (which uses egg yolks only). Since I also had whipping cream, strawberries and blueberries in the fridge, I decided to whip pavlova which I served it for afternoon tea while my MIL and SIL were in town.

Pavlova is a dessert of Australian and New Zealand origin, consisting of a meringue base or shell filled with whipped cream and fruits.

Ingredients:

For the merengue (egg white with sugar):

  • 4 egg white (at room temperature, to stretch higher volume and stronger for more fluffy like merengue)
  • 100 g castor sugar
  • 1 tbsp. corn starch (to pull in moisture. As merengue bake in the oven, it holds moisture from the sugar in the centre of merengue for crispy exterior and soft marshmallow like in the interior)
  • ¾ tsp cream of tartar. Can be replaced with lemon juice or white vinegar but double up the measurement. (Acidity in this gives egg white strength and stretch to add volume to egg white)

For the whipping cream (assembly):

  • 1 cup (250 ml) whipping cream
  • 2 tbsp sugar (to sweeten the cream, bearing in mind the pavlova is sweet).
  • fresh strawberries
  • fresh blueberries
  1. Separate egg yolks from egg whites
  2. Place egg whites into a clean and oil free mixing bowl
  3. Mix egg whites until soft peaks formed
  4. Pour in sugar part by part
  5. Add corn starch part by part and whisk until firm peaks (if you turn the bowl upside down, the meringue will not fall out or when you lift the beater, a peak will form)
  6. Spoon onto a baking tray lined with baking paper. 2 of about 8″ diameter disc and nest. Or more of smaller diameter if you intend to serve individual mini pavlova.
  7. Bake at 120C for 1.5 hours
  8. Turn off oven (do not open the oven door) and leave the meringue and let cool down in oven overnight for the pavlova to be crispy on the outside.
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Meringue of 8″ diameter

For fillings,
  1. Wash all berries
  2. Whisk whipping cream until firm
  3. Place the meringue on a plate
  4. Add one spoon of whipped cream on top
  5. Add berries on cream layer
  6. Add second meringue tier
  7. Add cream and spread remaining berries around
  8. Serve freshly

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A good pavlova should be crispy on the outside and marshmallow on the inside. Since the meringue and whipping cream are sweet, it is best to match with berries or any fruits with sour taste (mango, passion fruit, grapes, kiwi, etc) or fruits with bright colour ie jackfruits to light up, add some colours to the pavlova.

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This pavlova is a light, cool and refreshing dessert. I am glad that my SIL, MIL and family enjoyed eating it.