Berry Pavlova Recipe
Berry pavlova has a crispy chewy outer meringue shell with a soft marshmallow center, topped with vanilla whipped cream, berry hibiscus compote, and fresh blueberries.
Servings: 8 people
Ingredients
Meringue
- 4 large egg whites room temperature
- 1 1/4 cup superfine castor sugar or granulated sugar *pulse granulated sugar in food processor to reduce size of crystals
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar or lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Blueberry Hibiscus Compote
- 2 cups fresh blueberries
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup dried hibiscus flower petals
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Vanilla Whipped Cream
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream 30-35% fat
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract or seeds from a vanilla bean
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
Fruit Topping
- 1 cup fresh berries
Instructions
Meringue
- Preheat oven to 300℉ (150℃).
- Line a large baking tray with parchment paper. Trace a 6-inch circle with a pencil onto the paper. (use a cake an 6” cake pan)
- In a medium bowl stir together the sugar and cornstarch. (make sure to pulse granulated sugar in food processor for smaller crystals)
- Separate your egg whites carefully, one at a time. (Make sure you don't have any of the yolks sneak over,)
- Pour the egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Using the whisk attachment beat on medium for 3-5 minutes, until you reach soft peaks, where the egg whites are thicker and foamy.
- Keep the mixer on and slowly add in the sugar a spoonful at a time, while incorporating the vanilla.
- Once all the sugar is added, continue to beat on medium high, adding in the lemon juice until glossy, smooth stiff peaks have formed.
- Test by turning your bowl upside down. If the meringue starts to move, beat longer. If you have stiff peaks, it should stay firm in the bowl.
- Remove the bowl from mixer. Transfer the whipped meringue gently with a silicone spatula onto the prepared baking tray creating a mound on the 6-inch circle.
- Take an offset metal spatula and gently swipe upwards from the bottom to the top to create vertical lines in a flower petal shape. Press gently down in the center, so the sides are taller.
- Place tray in the oven on the middle to lowest rack.
- Lower oven temperature to 250℉ (120℃) and bake for 1 hour 15 min.
- Turn off the oven. Do not open the door. Leave meringue in the oven to cool slowly for at least one hour to prevent cracking.
- While the meringue is cooling make you blueberry compote and vanilla whipped cream. Place in the fridge until ready to assemble pavlova.
Blueberry Hibiscus Compote
- Place sugar and hibiscus flower leaves into a food processor and pulse into a powder.
- Place the powder and blueberries into a medium sized saucepan on medium high heat. Cook until the blueberries are wrinkled and soft. About 5-6 minutes.
- Carefully remove the berries with a slotted spoon and transfer them to a small bowl.
- Continue to cook the liquid an additional 2-3 minutes longer, stir in the lemon juice, then pour it over berries.
- The hibiscus berry compote will thicken as it cools.
Vanilla Whipped Cream
- In the bowl of stand mixer or large bowl with electric hand mixer beat the heavy cream, vanilla, and powdered sugar on medium-high until thick. (about 3-4 minutes)
Assemble Berry Pavlova
- Gently place the baked meringue onto a serving dish.
- Spoon the whipped vanilla cream across the top, filling in the center. You can take a spoon and crack the center if you prefer.
- Spoon the hibiscus blueberry compote onto cream.
- Top with fresh blueberries and dried hibiscus petals. Slice and enjoy!