16 Pavlova Dessert Recipes for an Easy Meringue Masterpiece (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between meringue and pavlova? ›

What's the Difference Between Pavlova and Meringue? Pavlovas and meringues are both made of whipped egg white, but a Pavlova has a delicate crispy exterior with pillowy soft marshmallow inside, while meringue is dry and crisp all the way through.

Vinegar added to the meringue will lower the pH of the egg whites. This acidic environment will also help to stabilize the egg white foam, preventing the meringue from collapsing too much. The acidity helps to unravel the protein and prevent the proteins from binding together too tightly.

Named after the famous Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, a pavlova is essentially a meringue cake made of whipped egg whites and sugar. It's perfectly light and crisp on the outside, ever so slightly chewy, and the middle tastes like a light, airy marshmallow.

Pavlova, unlike other meringues, is made with vinegar and cornstarch, so the end result is crisp on the outside, but still has some tooth (chew) on the inside. Traditionally it is served with fruit, such as berries and passionfruit (that's what is dripping off the edge) and whipped cream.

The cornflour and vinegar that is added strengthens the egg white and make it more stable and you get the marshmallowy centres from the shorter cooking time.

Sugar makes the pavlova mixture strong and stable, and is responsible for that super hard shiny crust. I found that as you reduce the sugar or increase the brown sugar (it has more moisture), the final result is a chewier, with a more fragile, shattery crust.

Acid. Whether it be vinegar, lemon juice, cream of tartar, or a combination, an acid will greatly improve the structure of meringue. Acid not only helps meringue whip up and aerate more quickly, it also keeps it stable. Without acid, meringue is more likely to collapse either during or after mixing.

The secret to a good, crisp pavlova is in the drying of the meringue after cooking. If there is a lot of moisture in the air, whether from humidity or even other cooking you are doing in the kitchen, you will have problems. That's why the “Pavlova Nazi” in me insists on no boiling saucepans during pav time.

Now, some pavlova recipes have you greasing the baking paper with vegetable oil or oil spray. I find that if you cook the pav for the prescribed time in the oven, then turn the oven off and leave it there for a further hour to dry out, the baking paper should easily peel away from the meringue.

How Do I Know My Pavlova Is Done? A perfectly baked pavlova should be pale and look dry, but a skewer inserted in the meringue should come out with a thick sticky, marshmallow-like consistency. If you aren't sure about the pavlova's doneness, turn the oven off, open the door and leave the meringue for up to an hour.

Why does my pavlova taste eggy? ›

Pavlova meringues should have a crisp crust on the outside but a soft, marshmallowy centre. It is quite unusual for a meringue to have an "eggy" flavour and unfortunately this is usually an indication that the eggs are slightly stale.

If you overbeat the mixture after adding the sugar, your meringue may crack and collapse during baking. To avoid this, only beat the mixture until the sugar dissolves – test this by rubbing a little of the mixture between your fingertips.

There are three basic types of meringue: French, Swiss, and Italian. While they all use egg whites as the primary ingredient, each style has its unique preparation method that affects its texture and taste.

A texture lover's dream come true, pavlova is made from egg whites that are slowly baked in a relatively cool oven. The egg whites take on a chewy-crisp texture on top, a soft marshmallow texture inside, and a crunchy crisp texture around the edges. That's three completely different textures in one single bite.

The outside of a pavlova meringue may not be quite as brilliantly white as a crisp meringue because of the higher oven temperature but it should not be buff coloured or dark brown. If the meringue is taking on too much colour then the oven temperature is too high.

pavlova, meringue-based dessert of Australian and New Zealand origin that is commonly topped with whipped cream and fruit and served at holidays. New Zealanders and Australians compete for ownership of pavlova, which in both countries is an iconic national delicacy.