Easy Australian Pavlova Recipe

This EASY Australian Pavlova recipe is all about that crunchy, chewy meringue shell and soft, pillowy marshmallow centre. Have the meringue base in the oven in just 15 minutes! Includes recipe video, step-by-step instructions and creative topping ideas.

Why We Love This

Pavlova reminds us of backyard BBQ’s spent with friends under the summer sun. Just like custard trifle and ice cream pudding, it’s a beloved dish at Christmas time in Australia. Especially good after a heavy roast lunch, it’s the perfect light and fluffy dessert that leaves you feeling light and not sick from an overabundance of sugar.

To this day we’re not sure whether the crunchy outer shell or melty marshmallow centre is our favourite part of this dessert. Maybe it’s both!

What about you? What’s your favourite way to eat pavlova? Looking for more pavlova ideas? Try our pavlova roll (meringue roulade) or eton mess!

What is Pavlova? 

Pavlova is a classic dessert recipe that is always served for family events or celebrations – big or small. Whether it’s a humble BBQ dinner, a birthday, Christmas, New Years Eve celebrations or even Australia Day. It’s super popular because it’s so easy to make and always looks impressive!

Pavlova is traditionally made from a base of meringue topped with whipped cream and fruit – although these days there’s lots of creative ways you can make it. Another super popular variation is to make it into a meringue roulade aka pavlova roll. See below for more ideas!

Where Does It Come From?

There’s been huge debate over whether this simple sweet dessert of meringue, cream and fruit has Australian, New Zealand or even American origins.

But to anyone who’s pondering this, we’ve got only one thing to say: Just eat it already! When pavlova tastes this good, we’ll share ownership with anybody. 

No matter which origin story you subscribe to, today we’re sharing the Australian “version” handed down from our Mums and Grandmas. This is the pavlova style we grew up with, that just gets better and easier with every repetition!

Where We Learned This Recipe

Pavlova sparks so many happy feels and memories of family celebrations for us. Like that time Laura’s Aunty made the biggest pavlova she’d ever seen for Grandma’s birthday. Or those days Sarah spent inside with Mum, beating the eggs and sugar and licking the beaters afterwards.

Growing up with pavlova on both sides of the families meant we just had to share both the recipe and our love for this special dessert.

Pavlova vs Eton Mess

Eton Mess is basically a super quick 5 minute version of pavlova, made into individual portions rather than a full size dessert. It’s like a cheat-mode version, using pre-made mini meringue nests topped with sweet cream and fruit.

If you’re short on time and need a super quick dessert – or even just a mini pavlova to celebrate with friends – then our Eton Mess has you covered. You can also use your homemade mixture to make mini meringues or nests – they’ll taste much better than store-bought meringue, so it’s worth the extra effort.

What You’ll Need

The meringue shell is a super simple blend of eggs, sugar and vanilla essence, with a little vinegar and corn starch added to make it both fluffy AND crispy. A few quick notes on these ingredients:

• Eggs – For best results, make sure to use room-temperature eggs. We use chicken eggs for this recipe, but duck eggs are absolutely fabulous if you can get your hands on them!
• Sugar – We recommend caster sugar, aka super fine sugar. It dissolves into the egg whites more quickly and will give you that smooth texture you’re looking for.
• Vinegar – The acid in vinegar helps the egg whites become fluffy and hold onto all that air that’s beaten in. Regular white vinegar (or white wine vinegar) is the best choice, but you can substitute with apple cider vinegar, cream of tartar, or even lemon juice in a pinch. We don’t recommend strong dark vinegars like balsamic or malt as they’re more likely to add a strong flavour to the meringue.

How to make Pavlova:

This is the EASY method to make pavlova which we’ve called 2-4-6-8, due to the speed settings used to get that glossy meringue mixture we’re looking for! You can make it in a Kitchenaid Mixer, a regular stand mixer, or a mixing bowl with a hand mixer and gradually increase the speed settings to get it just right.

• 

• 

• 

1. Pop your egg whites into the mixing bowl and attach the whisk to the stand mixer (or use a hand mixer). Start by whipping them on Speed 2 then move through to Speed 4 after a couple of minutes.
2. When the egg whites turn into bubbly soft peaks, up the speed to 6 and add the caster sugar and cornflour, then increase to Speed 8 for 10 – 12 minutes until you’ve got yourself a luxuriously smooth, glossy meringue mixture.
3. Now bring the speed down to 4 and pour in the vinegar and vanilla essence. You might need to scrape down the meringue from the sides of the bowl every now and again with a spatula to make sure it mixes through. Let it mix for 1 minute then switch off your mixer.

• 

• 

• 

4. Scoop out the glossy meringue mixture onto a lined baking tray and form a flat circle shape. Smooth it out or get creative with decorative patterns, twists or twirls. Pop in the oven and bake for an hour to an hour and a half until the meringue sets into a crunchy, crispy outside with a soft golden glow. When the outside is firm and dry, and cracks start to appear on the top, you’re ready to go. Switch off the oven and allow the pavlova to cool in the oven with the door slightly open.
5. While the pavlova is cooling, pour your cream into your cleaned mixing bowl and pop in the freezer for 10-15 minutes. When your pavlova is cool, place the bowl back on the stand mixer (or grab your hand mixer) and whip the cream on Speed 6 – 8. Add in the sugar and vanilla essence and continue to whip until the cream thickens and holds a nice shape.
6. Top your cooled pavlova with whipped cream and sliced fruit, and dust with icing sugar.

Pavlova Topping Ideas

While the magic is happening as you bake your pavlova in the oven, you’ll have plenty of time to plan your toppings. Here are a few of our favourite topping combinations to get you started!

• Classic: strawberries + kiwifruit + passionfruit + cream + icing sugar
• Mandy’s Favourite (thanks to Sarah’s Wandermum): banana + kiwifruit + passionfruit + cream
• Berry Elegant: strawberries + raspberries + blackberries + blueberries + cream
• Choc Top: nutella + strawberries + cream
• Fruity Goodness: blueberries + mango + passionfruit

Also, whatever you do, don’t skimp out on that whipped cream. Slather a nice thick layer over the top of your pavlova, and make yourself a nice base for your fruit and extra decadence for your plate. 

Wandercook’s Tips

• Always use room-temperature eggs – cold eggs can cause your meringue mixture to be too runny.
• Don’t be tempted to add the sugar into the egg whites too quickly. If added too soon, this can make the meringue runny. 
• Give the egg whites and sugar plenty of time to combine fully. If you don’t, it can lead to a gritty texture and may cause the pavlova to crack or collapse.
• Cooking the pavlova on the lowest rack in the oven can help to stop it cracking.
• One of our readers suggested humidity can have an effect when cooking meringues! For best results, try avoiding super humid days/environments if possible.
• Leftover egg yolks? Use them to make Italian almond crescent cookies.

FAQs

Variations & Substitutes

• Make Mini Pavlovas (aka Eton Mess) – Portion out the mixture into separate circles as big or as small as you like. Once cooked, top with a simple topping of whipped cream, strawberries and a sprig or two of mint leaves.
• Crush it! – Deliberately crack the pavlova into pieces, then add to a bowl and top with whipped cream and fruit. For bonus points, serve in glass for a stunning visual effect.
• Play with Shapes – Make it as a square, a wreath (perfect for Christmas!), or a love heart. Make thinner layers of pavlova, then once cooked, layer them up into stacks with the toppings as ‘fillings’ in the middle.

Want more delicious desserts? Try these:

• 

• 

• 

• 

★ Did you make this recipe? Please leave a comment and a star rating below!