Can I make pavlova the night before?

Yes, you can. It's actually easier to do this - you can even bake them, turn the oven off and leave them in there overnight to properly cool. Once they're cool, transfer to an airtight container to store. They will keep for 2 - 3 days but are really best served earlier rather than later (the fluffy inside will start to collapse a bit after the first day). Once you've topped the pavlovas they need to be eaten right away, as they'll soften up under the filling.

Why do you put cornstarch and vinegar in pavlova?

This is to help stabilise the meringue so that it doesn't collapse in the oven. This is a fragile dessert and cracking and collapsing is a common problem so these additions help prevent it. I promise they don't taste vinegary at all.

Should I use old or fresh eggs for pavlova?

Fresh eggs are better for pavlova - they whip up a lot better as there is still a good amount of structure in the egg whites. Older eggs mean more liquid egg whites which won't whip as nicely.

Mini Berry Ripple Cheesecake Pavlovas

Description

Mini pavlovas are a beautiful dessert option for any celebration. These cute mini versions of the classic are swirled with berry puree before baking, then dolloped with a velvety cheesecake topping for an elevated twist on regular whipped cream. Top with your favourite mixed berries for the ultimate crowd-pleasing dessert that’s easier to make than you’d think.

Ingredients

Scale

For the mini pavlovas –

4 egg whites, at room temperature
200g (1 cup) caster sugar
1 teaspoon cornflour (cornstarch)
1 teaspoon white vinegar (or apple cider vinegar, lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar)

For the berry puree –

200g/7oz frozen (or fresh) raspberries

For the cheesecake topping –

½ cup cream cheese, at room temperature
½ cup labneh (or thick Greek yogurt)
2 tablespoons icing sugar (powdered sugar)
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup strawberries, sliced into quarters
1/4 cup raspberries
½ cup blueberries
¼ cup pomegranate seeds

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Prepare your oven and baking trays. Heat your oven to 150C/300F (to note: we’re going to reduce the temperature when we add the pavlovas) and line a large oven tray with baking paper. PRO TIP: Use a tiny bit of your meringue mixture dabbed onto the underside corners of your baking paper to secure it onto your tray.
Make the berry puree. Add the raspberries to a small food chopper, food processor or blender, and blitz until super smooth and creamy. Set a sieve above a small bowl, then transfer the puree into the sieve. Press it through the sieve so that the seeds are discarded and you’re left with a lovely pink puree. Set aside.
Make the meringue mixture. Add 4 egg whites to a SUPER clean bowl of your stand mixer, then fit your mixer with the whisk attachment. Set your mixer on medium, and whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form – this will take around 5 or 6 minutes. Once you have soft peaks, start to add your caster sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, with your mixer still on medium speed. When you’ve added all your sugar, turn the mixer to high, and continue to whisk the meringue for 5 more minutes, until it’s fluffy, glossy, and there are no sugar grains remaining when you rub a bit between your fingers. Add 1 teaspoon of vinegar and 1 teaspoon of cornflour then whisk for another 30 seconds. At this point your meringue should be looking SUPER thick, and glossy and have expanded about three times in size.
Form your mini pavlovas. You can either roughly mark circles out on your baking paper to help guide you, or you can eyeball it. I like to use an upside-down jar to help mark the sizes, or you could use a cookie cutter. This mixture should make 10 pavlovas with a diameter of 6.5cm/2.5″. Use a silicone spatula to dollop the meringue onto your baking paper-lined trays, using the spatula or the back of a spoon to create swirls in the meringue. You want them to be reasonably high – they look more impressive and will give you more of the marshmallow centre. Drizzle 1 teaspoon of the berry puree around the top of each pavlova, then use a toothpick or skewer to gently swirl the puree around the edges. You don’t want to fold it through the meringue, as it tends to collapse in the oven. Use the back of a spoon to hollow out a small, shallow crater on top of the meringues (this is where your topping will go).
Bake the pavlovas. Transfer your trays to the oven, then turn the temperature down to 90C/195F fan and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the pavlovas are dry to the touch. Baking time for pavlova is tricky because it VERY much depends on your oven temperature. Check them after 45 minutes and if they’re still sticky, keep them cooking for a little longer. You don’t want the pavlova to brown at all, so if you notice yours are, turn your oven down and rotate the trays. Once they’re dry to the touch, turn the oven off and let the pavlovas cool in the oven.
Make the cheesecake topping. Add 1/2 cup cream cheese, 1/2 cup labneh, 2 tablespoons of icing sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract to a small food processor or chopper. Blitz into a super smooth cream, then transfer to a bowl and pop into the fridge until you’re ready to top your pavlovas. PRO TIP: You can also mix this by hand – just mix vigorously in a small bowl until thick and creamy.
Top your pavlovas and serve. Once the pavlovas are completely cool and you’re ready to serve, you can top them. Dollop the cheesecake cream in the little shallow crater you made, then drizzle over a teaspoon of the leftover berry puree and gently swirl it through. Finish with the mixed berries on top. Serve right away – the liquid in the topping will start to break down the crispy outer crust and they’ll go soggy if you try to store them.

Notes

STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS: You can keep baked, untopped pavlovas in an airtight container in a cool, dark place for 2 – 3 days, but I recommend using them before that. The fluffy inside will start to collapse the longer you keep them. The cheesecake topping will keep well for 1 week and so will the raspberry puree, so you can get ahead by making them before you need them.

INGREDIENT NOTES: If you don’t have caster sugar, you can blitz up regular granulated sugar for a minute in a food processor. You want fine sugar here so it easily melds with the egg whites in the mixture. Undissolved sugar in your mix can result in a weeping or collapsed pavlova so it’s important you’re using fine sugar here. The cornflour and vinegar are used to help to stabilise the pavlovas so they’re less likely to collapse – you don’t get any vinegar flavour at all.

TOPPING VARIATIONS: The berries included here can be tweaked and swapped out, based on what’s in season and what you like. Stone fruits are great, as are frozen, defrosted berries. They make a kind of chunky compote which is lovely with the cheesecake topping.

WANT A LARGE PAVLOVA? Follow the recipe, but spoon the entire mixture into a large circle on your baking tray, then bake for 90 minutes at 90C/195F, or until dry to the touch. Like in the recipe, heat the oven to 150C/300F first, then reduce the heat when you put the pavlova in the oven.

Prep Time: 30
Cook Time: 60
Category: desserts
Method: oven
Cuisine: new zealand

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 pavlova