Australian · Free recipe
Pavlova with Summer Fruit
A crisp meringue shell gives way to a soft, marshmallowy middle, all hidden under billows of whipped cream and a heap of juicy berries and stone fruit. Baking slowly and cooling inside the oven keeps the pavlova pale and prevents dramatic cracking.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 1 hr 15 min
- Total
- 1 hr 40 min
- Serves
- 8
- Level
- Medium
Method
-
Heat the oven to 250F and draw an 8-inch circle on a sheet of parchment, then flip it ink-side down onto a baking sheet.
-
Whip the egg whites and salt on medium speed until foamy, then add the superfine sugar one spoonful at a time, increasing to high and beating for 6 to 8 minutes until the meringue is thick and a pinch rubbed between your fingers feels smooth, not gritty.
-
Sprinkle the cornstarch, vinegar, and 1/2 tsp vanilla over the meringue and fold them in gently with a spatula.
-
Spoon the meringue inside the circle, building up the edges slightly higher than the center to form a shallow nest.
-
Bake for 75 minutes, until the outside is dry and crisp and lifts easily from the parchment, then turn off the oven and let the pavlova cool inside with the door closed for at least 2 hours.
-
Just before serving, whip the cream with the powdered sugar and remaining vanilla to soft peaks, spread it into the hollow, and pile on the berries, sliced peaches, and passion fruit pulp.
Zest note from the test kitchen
Assemble at the last possible moment; the cream starts to dissolve the meringue within half an hour, which is lovely for leftovers but not for a tall centerpiece.
