How to Make a Perfect Pavlova

If you've ever dreamed of making the perfect Pavlova with a crispy shell and fluffy marshmallow centre, then this is for you!  This is how I've been making Pavlova for years and it's practically fool-proof.  It's a bit of a read, so grab a cuppa, 'cause I'm about to spill all my tips and tricks to making a perfect Pavlova every. single. time!  Psst...make sure you watch the video near the end.

What is Pavlova?

Pavlova is a classic Australian and New Zealand dessert that makes itself known at every Aussie Christmas and Australia Day.  It's the dessert that I grew up with, it's what my Mum was famous for and it's my earliest baking memory.  Needless to say, Pavlovas are very special indeed!  The pillowy-soft marshmallow filling and crispy white shell has us all swooning over this showstopper dessert.

How is Pavlova different to Meringue?

Honestly, there's not much difference!  They both use the same recipe (egg whites and sugar), they're just baked a little differently.  I use this same Pavlova recipe to make my Giant Meringue Cookies but with a different bake time and temperature.  Meringues are generally crisper than a marshmallow-filled Pavlova. If you've made my Meringue Cookies, you'll notice my meringue recipe yields a lovely, chewy meringue.  For a really crispy Meringue, you just have to try my Italian Meringues (Spumini) -they're a huge hit with kids and make wonderful gifts!  Basically, my Pavlova recipe is just a giant giant meringue, with a beautifully soft marshmallow centre.

Ingredients for making Pavlova

• Egg whites:  use room temperature egg whites, which are easier to whip
• Caster sugar/Superfine sugar:  is more readily absorbed into the egg whites than regular sugar
• Cream of tartar:  can be substituted with white vinegar and is used to stabilize the egg whites

Faults in Pavlovas (and how to avoid them)

Pavlova is weeping:

A pavlova will "weep" a sugary syrup when the sugar hasn't been completely dissolved.  You can prevent this by:

• don't overwhisk your egg whites:  keep the mixer speed on med to medium-high.  If you over whisk the egg whites, they will become grainy, lose their structure and not able to hold the sugar
• use caster sugar:  (superfine sugar), not regular sugar, as the granules are too large and will take too long to incorporate into the egg whites
• avoid making Pavlovas on humid days:  I know it's a pain and Pavlovas are a bit temperamental this way, but Pavlovas love to absorb moisture.  On humid days, they will soak up moisture, weep and collapse (sounds like me, actually...)

Why does Pavlova crack and collapse?

Pavlovas are so worthy of their show stopping status, but they can also be divas!  They don't like it too hot and they don't like to be cooled down too quickly.  While some cracking is totally fine, be sure to give them the attention they need and check:

• Is your oven too hot?  I bake my Pavlova at either 120 Celsius (245 Farenheit) or 110 fan-forced.  I know my oven can be off at times, so I always keep an oven thermometer in there, just to make sure.
• Did you open the oven door?  Don't open the oven door while the Pavlova is baking!  If you must check the shell when the baking time is up, very quickly open the door and tap on the shell, then gently close the door straight away.  The Pavlova must be left to cool completely in the oven, undisturbed.

Other things that might go wrong:

• Pavlova has discoloured/turned brown:  check your oven temperature and know where your oven's hot spots are, by using an oven thermometer
• Pavlova shell isn't crisp:  is it humid?  Pavlovas love to soak up moisture, so avoid making them on humid days
• Egg whites won't whip:  make sure your metal or glass mixing bowl is completely clean and dry, with no oily residue.  And be sure that there's no egg yolk present in your whites -these will all prevent your egg whites from whipping.  Cold egg whites can also be harder to whip up to a nice foam

Step By Step Instructions

1. Line a tray with baking paper and draw a 23cm circle on the paper, then turn it face down.  You will use a tiny bit of meringue to stick the paper down.
2. Make the meringue by whisking the egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until soft peaks form
3. Gradually add the caster sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time and whisk for 30 seconds between each addition
4. Whisk until mixture is thick and glossy and until sugar granules are no longer present when you rub the mixture between your thumb and forefinger (now take some meringue to glue down the baking paper)
5. Dollop the mixture into the centre of the circle, then use an offset spatula to form the meringue into a circle.  Swipe the spatula up the sides to create furrows along the outside
6. Bake Pavlova for 1 hour and 20 minutes, then turn the oven off and leave it to cool with the door closed.  You can make the Pavlova the night before serving and leave it to cool in the oven overnight (this is how I do my Christmas Pavlovas)
7. Once completely cooled, very carefully transfer the Pavlova to a serving dish.  Pavlovas are very fragile, but if you use a large offset spatula to slide between the baking paper and the Pavlova, you can avoid any serious damage

See how easy it is to make a Perfect Pavlova

How to store your Pavlova

Pavlovas are best eaten within 24 hours of baking and soon after they are decorated.  You can make it and leave it to cool in the oven overnight, or you can store a cooled, undecorated Pavlova in an airtight container.  Once decorated with cream and toppings, they can be stored in the fridge until you're ready to serve, but they are best eaten that day.

How to decorate a Pavlova

No matter what the toppings, I always start with Chantilly Cream. If you want to make it a little more fancy, try my White Chocolate Chantilly Cream -it's divine! Then it's up to you -go with whatever is in season!  Personally I love fresh strawberries, but strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and mint leaves make a lovely Christmas Pavlova.  My Peach “Melva” Pavlova is always an option for a truly decadent dessert, while shaved chocolate and berries are a delicious combination.  Or you can keep it super simple and use my kids' favourite topping -crushed Peppermint Crisps!  No matter what you do, I know you're going to love this Pavlova recipe.  And I hope all of my tips help you to create your own Perfect Pavlova!

If you try this recipe, I’d love it if you could  take a minute to leave a rating or review -it helps to get my recipes seen and for me to keep sharing them with you.

More Meringue Recipes You Will Love

• For a fun dessert buffet, try my Mini Pavlovas and serve them with your favourite toppings
• My Chocolate Meringues and Giant Meringue Cookies went crazy all around the world -try them yourself and see why
• Italian Meringues (Spumini) are crispy and delicious...and so incredibly easy to make.  Kids love them (especially this big kid!)