Desserts
Very Berry Pavlova
A tall, ridged pavlova with a crisp shell and a marshmallowy centre, filled with crème diplomat and piled high with fresh berries.
The Christmas tree version of this pavlova is already on my blog, but sometimes you want one big, showstopping pavlova in the middle of the table, without any of the stacking. This one gets piled up into a dome, with ridges drawn up its sides, and its cracked top gets filled and piled high with fresh fruit.
The method is so simple that the trick is really in avoiding the common pitfalls. Make sure every bit of sugar has dissolved before it goes into the oven, and draw the ridges deeper than you think, as the meringue loses some of its definition as it bakes.
Whipped cream works perfectly well, but I personally prefer filling this with a crème diplomat, which is a pastry cream lightened with whipped cream. You can make it whilst the pavlova is baking. Happy baking 🙂
The recipe
Very Berry Pavlova
Prep 45 minCook 1 hr 45 minTotal 4 hr
adventureswithsugar.com/very-berry-pavlova/
Method
Method: pavlova
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 110˚ Celsius and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
- Whip the egg whites: Whip the egg whites and cream of tartar in a grease-free bowl until nice and foamy.
- Add the sugar: Then begin adding the sugar a tablespoon at a time. Wait about 10 seconds, until each spoonful is incorporated, before adding the next.
- Check the sugar has dissolved: Rub a little of the meringue between your fingers to make sure it is grit free.
- Add the lemon, vanilla and cornflour: Then add the lemon juice, vanilla and cornflour and whisk briefly to combine.
- Shape the pavlova: Pile the meringue onto the lined baking sheet in about a 20cm circle and create a dome-like shape. Smooth the sides out like you're icing a cake.
- Draw the ridges: Then draw lines up the sides at an angle with the side of a palette knife. Go deeper than you think, as it will lose some of its definition.
- Bake: Bake the pavlova for 1 hour and 45 minutes. Just check that it does not get too brown – it will take on a tan colour.
- Cool in the oven: Then turn the oven off and let it cool in there for another hour.
Method: crème diplomat
- Heat the milk: Whilst the pavlova is baking, heat the milk and vanilla until just coming to a boil.
- Whisk the yolks: Whilst that is heating, whisk the egg yolks, sugar and cornflour together.
- Temper the eggs: Add half of the milk to the egg mixture, whisking constantly whilst doing so. Then add this egg mixture back into the pot and return it to a medium heat.
- Thicken: Cook gently for a minute or two, whisking all the time, until the mixture begins to thicken.
- Let cool: Transfer to a bowl, place a piece of cling wrap over the top to stop a skin forming and place in the fridge to cool.
- Fold in the cream: Once you're ready to assemble, whip the whipping cream to soft peaks. Loosen the cooled crème pât, add it to the whipped cream and whip together until combined and the crème diplomat holds soft peaks.
Method: filling and decoration
- Transfer the pavlova: Carefully transfer your pavlova to your serving plate.
- Fill: The pavlova should have cracked on the top. Cut out a hole at the top and fill it with the crème diplomat.
- Decorate and chill: Decorate with fresh berries and leave to stand in the fridge for about 30 minutes before serving.
What should I know about making this?
Can I use whipped cream instead of crème diplomat?
Yes. Whip 500ml whipping cream to stiff peaks with 1½ tablespoons of icing sugar and fill the pavlova with that instead.
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