Hello everyone! Desperate times call for delicious desserts to cheer us all up! So here is a super simple, no fuss pavlova recipe perfect for Easter and any other occasions that require a show stopping dessert.
There is nothing better than a crispy, marshmallowy meringue, lashings of vanilla whipped cream and fresh fruit. If you like the sound of that then pavlova is just a perfect sweet treat ticking all of those boxes! This dessert has been a subject of everlasting culinary dispute between Australia and New Zealand. Kiwis believe that it was invented in New Zealand in 1926. The head chef of the Wellington hotel has invented this desert to honour Russian ballerina – Anna Pavlova. The shape of the dessert was suppose to resemble the tutu of the dancer. Australians hover believe that it was invented in a hotel in Perth where one of the diners described the dessert ‘as light as Pavlova!’ Who at the time was a ballet sensation travelling around the world. What’s the real story? WHO CARES! It’s an amazing dessert we get to enjoy that doesn’t really require any spectacular cooking skills!
Pavlova is one of my ultimate favourite desserts and I tend to revisit the recipe at least twice per year. Usually at Easter and Christmas. In my family we have this ‘inner joke’: it doesn’t matter if Jesus is born or resurrected Mike will make a pavlova to celebrate it! So if you want to check out the Christmas version of this dessert from few years back when iPhone wasn’t taking as nice pictures click on the link below: https://thescrimpycook.com/2014/12/25/mulled-berry-pavlova-wreath/
My favourite version of pavlova is simply cream (I do have a secret twist that will be revealed in the recipe to make it lighter than your usual whipped cream) and fresh fruit with certain level of acidity to balance the sweetness of the meringue. I have decorated it for Easter in the past with chocolate eggs but as nice as it looked, it was just too sweet! On this occasion I’m using two of my favourite fruits passionfruit and raspberries as they are the perfect balance to the sweetness of the rest of the dessert. Ok so let’s get to it!!!
Ingredients (serves 5)
Meringue:
- 3 large egg whites
- 150grams of icing sugar (if you’re adding more egg whites it’s additional 50g for each egg white)
- Tablespoon of lemon juice
Topping:
- 200ml of double cream
- 75grams of icing sugar
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla paste (or extract)
- 50grams of Greek yoghurt
- 2 passion fruits
- 150grams of fresh raspberries
- Tablespoon of icing sugar (for dusting)
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 120 degrees Celsius or 100 degrees if you’re using fan oven.
2. Clean your mixing bowl and mixer attachments with lemon juice (this is to clear all the grease from the surface, if there will be any greasy residue the whites won’t whip)
3. Place the egg whites in the bowl and start whisking using your electric mixer. Once you reach soft peaks gradually add icing sugar and whisk on high speed until you end up with a stiff and glossy meringue mixture. Place baking paper on the baking tray and spoon the mixture in the middle making as much of an event circle as possible. Then place in the middle of the oven and bake for 1 hour 20 minutes. Once baking time is finished switch off the oven and leave your meringue to cool completely
4. Once cool gently peak off the baking paper and place your meringue on the presentation plate.
5. In a mixing bowl add cream, vanilla paste and sugar and whisk using electric mixer on high speed. Once the cream is almost whipped add Greek yogurt until mixed together. Place generous amount of whipping cream on top of the pavlova then add passionfruit and raspberries. Finally dust with using sugar
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