The Art of the Pavlova
A love affair with meringue or the ballerina herself?
I’ve always loved meringue, so much so that I might even go as far as to say I don’t entirely trust anyone who doesn’t. Ok, that’s pushing it but you get my point. There’s something about the combination of meringue and cream together: it has this playful, almost nostalgic quality, evoking a sense of indulgence that feels childlike.
And then, enters the Pavlova. Light and airy, it is always a hit on my table. A Pavlova is as beautiful as it is inviting, in a perfectly imperfect form.
It was named after the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova and the most intriguing aspect of this beloved dessert is the ongoing debate over its origin.
A heated debate between Australia and New Zealand
Australian claim
Created in 1935 by chef Herbert ‘Bert’ Sachse at the Esplanade Hotel in Perth, the dessert was named after Anna Pavlova by the hotel’s house manager, Harry Naim, who said it was ‘as light as pavlova’.
New Zealand claim
The Pavlova was created by a chef at a Wellington hotel in honor of Anna Pavlova, who toured New Zealand in 1926. The chef was inspired by the ballerina’s tutu to create a dessert with similar shape and lightness.
Well, whoever first whipped up this dessert was clearly mesmerised by the ballerina, and for me, I can only say that I love it even more now, knowing the story behind it.
Why I Love Making Pavlova
I get it: making meringue might not be top of your list for a dinner party. But hear me out: give it a shot once or twice, and I promise you’ll be hooked. Sure, it might not, probably won’t, turn out perfect on your first couple of tries (even if you follow the recipe religiously) but even an imperfect pavlova is still delicious. And with time, you’ll master the technique and even learn to enjoy the process.
Once you’ve got the hang of it, it will be super easy to make and always a showstopper. It’s also endlessly adaptable to suit the season, your mood or the vibe of your dinner.
Craving something wintery and fruity? Top it with red berries and a berry coulis. Feeling tropical or in need of sunshine? Go for passion fruit and a mango sauce. Or the cheekiest option? A simple, rich chocolate sauce. I told you, it’s endless and you just need to let your imagination run wild. All you need is the meringue and the cream.
My Go-To Pavlova Recipe (With Tips I’ve Learned Along The Way)
TIPS (read before baking!)
Bowl to whip meringue: make sure it is squeaky clean
Egg whites: make sure your egg whites are at room temperature for better volume when whipping.
Sugar: add sugar gradually, allowing it to fully dissolve to avoid a grainy meringue.
Be gentle: when folding the final ingredients (cornflour and white vinegar), do so delicately to keep the airness of the mixture.
Make ahead if needed: you can bake the meringue a day in advance and store it in airtight container or just wrap the meringue with plastic foil on plate.
Pavlova shape: when spreading the meringue mixture on the baking paper to go into the oven, don’t improvise the shape. Before spreading, draw a circle with a cake mould or any round shape you want which will help you to spread in a nice circle shape.
Thickness: that’s something you will learn after a couple of tries, it needs to be not to tick but not too thin either.
INGREDIENTS & INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE MERINGUE (FOR 3 DISCS)
6 egg whites
300g caster sugar
2 tsp cornflour
1 tsp white wine vinegar
You can add 1 tsp of vanilla extract, rose water or lemon depending on the pavlova you’re going for.
Heat the oven to 150C/ Fan 130C/Gas 3
Oil 3 baking trays and line with baking parchment. Draw a circle on each (the size of a cake mould)
In clean, dry bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar, one tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition until the meringue is glossy and stiff.
Gently fold in the cornflour, vinegar and rose, vanilla or lemon.
Spoon the meringue onto the baking tray, spreading out to make 3 discs.
Bake for 1 hour, then switch the oven and leave the meringues in there to harden for another hour. This prevents from cracking and makes sure the meringue is crisp to support the weight of the cream.
INGREDIENTS & INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE CREAM
Remember you can flavour your cream. I love using rose water when baking a red berry pavlova with a tablespoon. You can also use orange blossom, lemon, vanilla. Just make sure it works with the toppings you pick.
850ml double cream
4-6 tbsp of your choice of flavour if any
6-8 tbsp icing sugar
Whip the double cream with the rosewater and icing sugar, either by hand or using an electric hand whisk, until the cream is thick and uncutous. Be careful not to over-whip it, it will lose that silky quality.
I like the cream not too sweet so adjust the flavour (rosewater, lemon, vanilla) and icing sugar according to your liking.
—
NOW IT’S TIME TO PUT IT TOGETHER
Take the 1st meringue disc and spoon 1/3 of the cream on top, sprinkle with your fruit of choice. Top with the 2nd layer of meringue and repeat. Top with the 3rd and spoon the last of the cream and decorate with your fruit of choice, edible flowers or anything you like.
Put the whole cake together as late as possible to avoid the fruits melting or smudging the cream.
—
FRUIT COULIS OR CHOCOLATE SAUCE
You don’t have to make a coulis or a chocolate sauce but they really do add that extra touch.
A coulis is very easy to make. Just pass the fruit in a blender and sift that through to make it as smooth as possible. Again add sugar if needed.
