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first off, what exactly is pavlova? it’s a close relative of the meringue, but with a crispy outside and pillowy soft inside. (in my opinion, much tastier) i believe it originates in australia or new zealand, which makes me feel rather exotic when i make it too! the addition of chocolate only serves to make it even better.
hands down, this is one of our families favorite recipes. my kids love it. i’ve made pavlova numerous times for all kinds and ages of people and have yet to meet someone who does not like it – at least not that they told me! light, crispy, flavorful – it’s got it going on. oh, and did i mention that it’s gluten free?
don’t get intimidated by all the instructions – it looks trickier than it actually is – honest
the recipe below has two options – a large double layer pavlova (the traditional way a pavlova is made ) or smaller individual ones. same ingredients and process, just different baking instructions. If you want something really grand, you can 1 1/2 or double the recipe for a triple or quadruple layer pavlova.
a couple notes:
*pavlova is a bit touchy – i wouldn’t try it in the heat of summer on a humid day unless you can really crank your air conditioner – i’ve tried, and ended up with flat pancakes. still edible, but not very visually pleasing
*i make my own superfine sugar by pulsing regular granulated white sugar in the blender.
*the speed that you beat the egg whites on is dependent on the power of your mixer. If you have a high power mixer (i.e Bosch or Ankarsrum) as opposed to a hand mixer, you will be in the medium speed range. basically you don’t want to whip the egg whites so quickly that the sugar doesn’t have time to dissolve.
*you can make homemade chocolate pudding (leave a comment if you want my aunt’s awesome recipe for chocolate pudding ) with the leftover egg yolks and top the pavlova with that as opposed to the cream mixture – clint’s favorite – and then garnish with raspberries or heath bits
- 8 egg whites (220 grams) - room temperature
- 2 cups super fine sugar (400 grams)
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- pinch salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 teaspoons vinegar (i like to use raspberry balsamic)
- 1 Tablespoon corn starch
- ¼ cup (30 grams) cocoa
- 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate - finely chopped
- Cream:
- ¼ cup butter - softened
- 4 ounces cream cheese - softened
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- Fresh Raspberries
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line 2 baking trays with parchment paper - if making 2 large pavlovas, (to stack like a layer cake) trace a 7" circle on each parchment. If making individual pavlovas, trace (6) 3.5" circles (a wide mouth canning jar lid is the right size) on each tray. Flip the parchment paper over so that you can see your marks through the paper, but won't have food touching the ink pen - ick
- Wipe out a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer with a paper towel moistened with lemon juice to remove any residual oils. Place egg whites and cream of tartar in the mixing bowl. Beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. With mixer on medium - high speed, very very slowly add super fine sugar; you can add this a teaspoon at a time if you have trouble pouring slowly enough.
- Beat until stiff peaks form. Test to make sure that the sugar has dissolved by rubbing a little bit of the egg white mixture between your fingers. If you feel some graininess, beat for another minute or two,
- Add vanilla and vinegar. Mix until just combined.
- In a small bowl, combine cocoa and cornstarch. Sift over top of egg white mixture. Add chopped chocolate and fold all together.
- Plop, spoon, and gently spread the mixture onto your prepared parchment papers. They don't have to be perfectly shaped, and will be piled high - the pavlovas will spread a little in the oven.
- Place trays in oven; immediately turn oven down as directed below:
- For the large pavlovas, turn oven oven down to 250 degrees and bake for 60-75 minutes. (Pavlova should look dry on the outside) Turn oven off, crack the oven door, and allow to cool in oven for at least a couple hours
- For the small pavlovas, turn oven down to 225 degrees. Bake 75 minutes; turn off oven and let cool for 30 minutes in oven (don't open the oven door)
- You can make pavlova a day ahead of time and store in an airtight container on the counter.
- Cream topping:
- Beat butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Slowly add whipping cream and beat until thickened to your desired consistency
- To serve the large pavlovas, assemble just before ready to eat. Gently remove one pavlova from the parchment paper and place on serving tray or plate. Top with half of the cream and follow with the second pavlova. Gently spread the remaining cream on top, and garnish with fresh raspberries. You can drizzle with raspberry or chocolate sauce for extra pizzazz
- For the individual pavlovas, top each with a dollop of cream and garnish with raspberries
