Pavlova

Quick answer

Total time: 110 min
Level: Medium
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients: 8

About this dish

Pavlova is assembled from a low-baked meringue base, softly whipped cream, strawberries, and kiwi.

The four egg whites go into a clean, dry bowl with no yolk, water, or grease present. They are beaten on medium speed until white and foamy before the 220 g of sugar is added gradually. The meringue is ready for the remaining ingredients when it looks glossy, feels thick, and holds peaks that do not fold over. One teaspoon each of white vinegar, cornstarch, and vanilla is folded through with broad strokes from the bottom of the bowl. Mixing stops as soon as no streaks remain so the air already incorporated into the whites is retained. The meringue is spread into a round with a shallow depression in the center, which creates a place for the cream and fruit after baking. It spends 1 hour 30 minutes at 100°C, a temperature intended to leave the shell pale while drying the outside. Keeping the oven door closed limits abrupt temperature changes during baking. At the end, the oven is turned off and the base cools completely inside before it is moved or topped. Cold heavy cream is whipped only to soft peaks so it can be spread without pressing hard on the shell. The 200 g of strawberries and two sliced kiwis are added just before serving, limiting the time their juice sits on the meringue.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

egg whites4 piecepiece

sugar220 gg

white vinegar1 tsts

cornstarch1 tsts

vanilla extract1 tsts

heavy cream300 mlml

strawberries200 gg

kiwi2 piecepiece

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Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Step

Separate 4 egg whites into a clean, dry bowl, keeping out every trace of yolk, water, and grease.

Preheat the oven to 100C and line a baking tray with parchment before starting the meringue.
2

Season

Beat the whites on medium speed until foamy and white, then add 220 g sugar gradually, a spoonful at a time.

Keep beating until the meringue is glossy, thick, and holds stiff peaks without collapsing.
3

Step

Add 1 teaspoon each of white vinegar, cornstarch, and vanilla extract.

Fold with a spatula by lifting from the bottom in broad strokes, stopping as soon as no streaks remain so the foam stays airy.
4

Heat

Spoon the meringue onto the tray in a round shape and make a shallow dip in the center for the cream.

Bake at 100C for 1 hour 30 minutes, keeping the shell pale and dry.
5

Heat

Avoid opening the oven often while it bakes, because sudden temperature changes can crack or sink the shell.

When the time is up, turn off the oven and let the meringue cool completely inside.
6

Prep

Whip 300 ml cold heavy cream only to soft peaks, so it spreads without weighing down the shell.

Just before serving, top the cooled meringue with the cream, 200 g strawberries, and 2 sliced kiwis.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Sugar is added gradually until the egg whites hold glossy, stiff peaks
Finish cue: Whip 300 ml cold heavy cream only to soft peaks, so it spreads without weighing down the shell.
Avoid this: Avoid opening the oven often while it bakes, because sudden temperature changes can crack or sink the shell.
Storage and reheating: When the time is up, turn off the oven and let the meringue cool completely inside.