Description
This Christmas Pavlova is a stunning festive dessert featuring a crisp meringue wreath with a soft, marshmallow-like center, topped with a luscious mascarpone cream and vibrant fresh raspberries. Perfect for holiday celebrations, this recipe combines delicate textures and a visually impressive presentation to delight your guests.
Ingredients
Scale
Meringue
- 6 large Egg Whites
- 1 1/2 cups Granulated Sugar (super fine sugar, if possible)
- 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
- Pinch Salt
Whipped Cream Topping
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- 8 ounces Mascarpone Cheese (or cream cheese)
- 1 1/4 cups Powdered Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Bean Paste or Extract
Decoration
- 12 ounces Fresh Raspberries
- Fresh Mint Leaves
- Powdered Sugar (for dusting)
Instructions
- Prepare Oven and Egg Whites: Preheat the oven to 310°F (154°C). Ensure your mixing bowl is completely clean and dry, free of any grease or water. Separate the egg whites from the yolks carefully, making sure no yolk remains in the whites. Use room temperature egg whites for best meringue volume.
- Whip Egg Whites and Sugar: Beat the egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add the granulated sugar a little at a time while continuing to whip. After all sugar is incorporated, beat for an additional 3 minutes until the mixture is thick, glossy, and holds stiff peaks.
- Add Cornstarch and Salt: Sprinkle the cornstarch and a pinch of salt into the meringue. Whip just until combined, about 5 seconds, to incorporate without deflating the meringue.
- Prepare Baking Sheet: Tear a sheet of parchment paper large enough for your baking sheet. Place an 8–10 inch bowl or cake pan upside down on the paper and trace a circle lightly with a pencil. Inside this, draw a smaller circle about 4–5 inches wide to form the inner ring of the wreath. Flip the paper so pencil marks are underneath but still visible as a guide.
- Shape Meringue Ring: Spoon large dollops of meringue around the outer circle, making sure each dollop touches the next to create a continuous ring. The ring should be approximately 3 inches wide and evenly thick.
- Build Layered Wreath: For a fuller wreath, add a second layer of meringue on top of the first ring. Use the back of a spoon or small spatula to gently lift and swirl the meringue, creating soft, cloud-like peaks for dramatic texture.
- Bake Meringue: Place the meringue in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 250°F (121°C). Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes without opening the oven door to avoid collapse. After baking, turn off the oven but leave the pavlova inside to cool slowly for 2 hours; do not remove it until it has cooled.
- Remove from Oven: Carefully take the pavlova out once it has cooled to room temperature and the meringue is crisp on the outside.
- Prepare Topping: In a large bowl, whip the heavy cream, mascarpone cheese, and powdered sugar together until soft peaks form. Fold in the vanilla bean paste gently for flavor.
- Assemble and Serve: Spread the whipped cream mixture evenly over the pavlova wreath. Decorate with fresh raspberries and fresh mint leaves. Dust with powdered sugar before serving. Enjoy promptly for best texture.
Notes
- Use room temperature egg whites for optimal volume and stability in your meringue.
- Do not open the oven door during baking to prevent the pavlova from collapsing.
- Be gentle when folding in cornstarch and decorating the meringue to preserve airiness.
- For a more stable meringue, superfine sugar dissolves better than regular granulated sugar.
- Serving immediately after adding toppings ensures the meringue stays crisp and the cream fresh.
- This pavlova can be prepared a day ahead except for the whipped cream topping, which should be made just before serving.
