Australian/ Baking/ Christmas/ Dessert/ Recipes

The BEST Pavlova Roll – Easy Meringue Roulade

30/09/2021

Dessert is sorted for your next gathering with the best Pavlova Roll you’ll ever eat. Berries and whipped cream are rolled and encased in this easy meringue roulade – crispy on the outside, and soft on the inside – how it should be. Make ahead or on the day!

Pavlova roll ready to be served on plates.

Why We Love This

We joke that when you run out of time to make pavlova… make pavlova roll! It only needs 14 minutes in the oven, a slather of cream and fillings, before popping it in the fridge for a couple of hours. This is usually enough time for everything to set while you cook and eat dinner!

There’s nothing better than a dessert that looks this impressive, yet is still so easy to make.

It’s really adaptable to your favourite flavours, use the recipe as a base and tizzy it up to make it your own!

Save This Recipe Form

Want to save this recipe?

Enter your email below & we'll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you’ll get more great recipes and tips from us each week!

Meringue roulade laid out on a long wooden board.

What is a Pavlova Roll? 

Pavlova Roll is a variation of the very popular Australian / NZ Pavlova. Sometimes referred to as a meringue roulade, it has a crispy top and soft, mallow-like centre. Unlike original Pavlova, the meringue is spread out on a tray, baked, then layered with cream and berries, rolled up and served as a roulade.

You’ll often find this popular dessert served at big gatherings, birthdays or holidays such as Christmas, Easter and Australia Day.

Just like pavlova, the roll’s toppings and fillings vary depending on personal preferences. Popular combinations include berries, lemon, chocolate or mango. If you prefer an even faster, no bake version, Eton Mess may be more up your alley!

Where we learned this:

This was a favourite in Sarah’s home growing up. Her Nan kind of became obsessed with them, and would bring a roll to every gathering. So we hope you enjoy this recipe as much as her family has!

Reader Cooking Success Stories

Pavlova roll filled with blueberries and topped with shaved chocolate.

@fibers_and_found

Today’s make — Pavlova roll with blueberries and cream, topped with shaved chocolate. I’ve been wanting to try this for some time. Simple and delicious 🌞

It was fun to make too!

What You’ll Need

  • Egg Whites – The heart of the meringue! You can swap out chicken eggs for duck eggs if you have them.
  • Sugar – Caster sugar works best, as the fine grain blends quicker and easier with the eggs.
  • Cornflour / Cornstarch – Adding a little cornstarch helps to soften the inside of the meringue. It’s essential for that classic marshmallow-like texture. Sub with arrowroot powder.
  • Vinegar – This is the stabiliser for the egg whites. Sub with lemon juice or cream of tartar.
  • Vanilla Essence – We love the flavour vanilla brings to the pavlova, you only need a little but it goes a long way. You can add vanilla bean to the whipped cream for an even more decadent dessert.
  • Icing Sugar – Also known as confectioner’s sugar. This powdered sugar helps stop the meringue from sticking to the baking paper AND is nice and fine for sweetening the whipped cream.
  • Berries – Blueberries and strawberries make a wonderful topping. If you want a Christmas themed topping – go for kiwi fruit and strawberries instead.
Ingredients laid out to make a pavlova roll.

How to make Meringue Roulade:

  1. Pre-heat oven to 160°C / 320°F. Using a brush or paper towel, oil a baking tray then line with baking paper and smooth it out to the edges.
  2. Using a mixer or beaters, whip egg whites on medium until you have soft peaks. Start to slowly pour in the castor sugar, then beat on high for 8-10 minutes until glossy and smooth. The sugar should be dissolved at this point.
  3. Add cornflour, vinegar and vanilla essence and fold through on low until mixed through for around 30 seconds.
  4. Spread meringue mixture out on the lined baking tray, leaving a 2cm / 1 inch gap around all sides. Bake for 14 minutes or until you see it begin to brown.
  5. Meanwhile, prepare another piece of baking paper the same size as the tray and powder with 1 tsp of icing sugar.
  6. Remove pavlova from the oven and flip out onto the powdered baking paper. Carefully peel and remove the original baking paper and allow the pavlova to cool completely (around half an hour).
  1. Meanwhile, whip the thickened cream and 2 tbsp of icing sugar on high until thick and fluffy (around 1-2 minutes). Reserve around ½ cup of whipped cream for the topping.
  2. Slather the remaining whipped cream onto the base of the pavlova. Top with half the blueberries and sliced strawberries.
  3. Using the paper, begin to fold the pavlova up and away from you. You can roll the long edge for a longer roll, or roll the short edge for a taller but shorter roll. Once rolled into a roulade, with the edge on the bottom, use the baking paper to cover the roll, then wrap in a tea towel and place in the fridge to set for a minimum of 2-3 hours.
  4. Once ready to serve, unwrap from the paper and place on a serving plate. Top with the reserved whipped cream, blueberries and strawberries, or any other toppings of your choice.

Wandercook’s Tips

  • Make Chocolate Shavings – Chocolate shavings over the top of a meringue roulade make it look so fancy and don’t require much effort. You only need a square of chocolate or a couple of chocolate buttons to grate straight over the roll and garnish.
  • Leftover Egg Yolks – There’s so many ways to use leftover egg yolks. Bake a batch of Italian almond crescent cookies, add them to scrambled eggs, make hollandaise sauce with a blender or turn it into sweet shortcrust pastry!
  • Batch the Recipe – This is a 4 egg pavlova roll, but feel free to make it a 6 or 8 egg roll – just increase the other ingredients accordingly. You may need a bigger tray, or to make two separate rolls.
  • Electric Mixer – Using an electric mixer or hand beater will make this recipe 10x easier and quicker than trying to whisk the eggs by hand.

FAQs

I can’t roll the meringue, what can I do?

It’s totally salvageable! Cut the meringue into 4 sections, and make a stack instead of a roll.

What should I do if the meringue sticks to the paper?

In the first instance, peel VERY carefully and slowly. Next, try ALL corners. Sometimes, it comes off easy from a different angle.

Another trick is to sprinkle a little water on the baking paper before slathering the meringue mixture on before baking.

Can I make this the day before?

Yes, this is fine. For the freshest results, leave it rolled in the fridge, and don’t decorate with toppings until just before serving.

Why is there vinegar and cornstarch in pavlova?

Cornstarch / cornflour keeps the inside soft like a marshmallow, while the vinegar stabilises the egg whites as well as helping with the soft chewy centre.

Meringue roulade stuffed with berries on baking paper.

More impressively easy desserts for your next gathering:

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

Pavlova roll with berries on a wooden board.

The BEST Pavlova Roll – Easy Meringue Roulade

Dessert is sorted for your next gathering with the best Pavlova Roll you'll ever eat. Berries and whipped cream are rolled and encased in this easy meringue roulade – crispy on the outside, and soft on the inside – how it should be. Make ahead or on the day!
4.93 from 13 votes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 14 minutes
Setting Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 29 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Australian, New Zealand
Servings: 8 Serves
Calories: 260kcal
Author: Wandercooks
Cost: $10

Ingredients

For the Pavlova Meringue

For the Whipped Cream

Optional Toppings / Fillings

Instructions

  • Pre-heat oven to 160°C / 320°F. Using a brush or paper towel, oil a baking tray then line with baking paper and smooth it out to the edges.
    1 tsp vegetable oil
  • Using a mixer or beaters, whip egg whites on medium until you have soft peaks. Start to slowly pour in the caster sugar, then beat on high for 8-10 minutes until glossy and smooth. The sugar should be dissolved at this point.
    4 egg whites, 1 cup caster sugar / superfine sugar
  • Add cornflour, vinegar and vanilla essence and fold through on low until mixed through for around 30 seconds.
    1 tsp cornstarch / cornflour, 1 tsp vinegar, 1 tsp vanilla essence
  • Spread meringue mixture out on the lined baking tray, leaving a 2cm / 1 inch gap around all sides. Bake for 14 minutes or until you see it begin to brown.
  • Meanwhile, prepare another piece of baking paper the same size as the tray and powder with icing sugar.
    1 tsp icing sugar / powdered sugar
  • Remove pavlova from the oven and flip out onto the powdered baking paper. Carefully peel and remove the original baking paper and allow the pavlova to cool completely (around half an hour).
  • Meanwhile, whip the thickened cream and icing sugar on high until thick and fluffy (around 1-2 minutes). Reserve around ½ cup of whipped cream for the topping. Slather the remaining cream onto the base of the pavlova. Top with half the blueberries and sliced strawberries.
    300 ml thickened cream / heavy cream, 2 tbsp icing sugar / powdered sugar, 1 punnet strawberries, 1 punnet blueberries
  • Using the paper, begin to fold the pavlova up and away from you. You can roll the long edge for a longer roll, or roll the short edge for a taller but shorter roll. Once rolled into a roulade, with the edge on the bottom, use the baking paper to cover the roll, then wrap in a tea towel and place in the fridge to set for a minimum of 2-3 hours.
  • Once ready to serve, unwrap from the paper and place on a serving plate. Top with the reserved whipped cream, blueberries and strawberries, or any other toppings of your choice.
    1 tbsp chocolate shavings, whipped cream

Video

YouTube video

Recipe Notes

  • Make Chocolate Shavings – Chocolate shavings over the top of a meringue roulade make it look so fancy and don’t require much effort. You only need a square of chocolate or a couple of chocolate buttons to grate straight over the roll and garnish.
  • Leftover Egg Yolks – There’s so many ways to use leftover egg yolks. Add them to scrambled eggs, make hollandaise sauce with a blender or turn it into sweet shortcrust pastry!
  • Batch the Recipe – This is a 4 egg pavlova roll, but feel free to make it a 6 or 8 egg roll – just increase the other ingredients accordingly. You may need a bigger tray, or to make two separate rolls.
  • Electric Mixer – Using an electric mixer or hand beater will make this recipe 10x easier and quicker than trying to whisk the eggs by hand.
  • Egg Whites – You can swap out chicken eggs for duck eggs if you have them.
  • Cornflour / Cornstarch – Sub with arrowroot powder.
  • Vinegar – Sub with lemon juice or cream of tartar.
  • Vanilla Essence – You can add vanilla bean to the whipped cream for an even more decadent dessert.
  • Icing Sugar – Also known as confectioner’s sugar.
  • Berries – If you want a Christmas themed topping – go for kiwi fruit and strawberries instead.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
The BEST Pavlova Roll – Easy Meringue Roulade
Amount per Serving
Calories
260
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
15
g
23
%
Saturated Fat
 
9
g
56
%
Trans Fat
 
1
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
4
g
Cholesterol
 
51
mg
17
%
Sodium
 
40
mg
2
%
Potassium
 
65
mg
2
%
Carbohydrates
 
30
g
10
%
Fiber
 
1
g
4
%
Sugar
 
28
g
31
%
Protein
 
3
g
6
%
Vitamin A
 
552
IU
11
%
Vitamin C
 
1
mg
1
%
Calcium
 
27
mg
3
%
Iron
 
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Hey hey – Did you make this recipe?We’d love it if you could give a star rating below ★★★★★ and show us your creations on Instagram! Snap a pic and tag @wandercooks / #Wandercooks

The BEST Pavlova Roll - Easy Meringue Roulade
19K Shares

Browse all our most popular Japanese recipes

Japanese mochi, matcha green tea ice-cream. okonomiyaki, gyoza and chicken katsu dishes, with the words "Click here for Japanese recipes" overlayed.

24 Comments

  • Reply
    Cooking enjoyer
    15/04/2024 at 5:21 am

    5 stars
    Great recipe! Really like light texture.
    Future note for myself: 14 minutes are not enough, at 35 minutes small crust appears at the bottom. Something like 25-30 would be better i think.
    Also Im not a fan of sugar, so using half of it.
    Small tip: if you merengue develops crust and it hard to roll because of it – place cream and wait a couple of minutes. That would dissolve it a bit

    • Reply
      Wandercooks
      15/04/2024 at 2:44 pm

      The change of sugar amounts may have affected cooking times here, and we wouldn’t usually recommend cooking the meringue for so long that it forms a crust as it really is a soft bake so you can roll it. However, super happy you made it work for you with those adjustments and thanks heaps for the feedback. 😀

  • Reply
    Angelica
    05/03/2024 at 6:24 pm

    Can I make the base meringue a day before and leave it in the fridge or out?

    • Reply
      Wandercooks
      07/03/2024 at 9:55 am

      You could make it up to the point of being rolled with the cream, then leave it in the fridge overnight, and top with cream and extra fruit just before serving.

  • Reply
    Stefania Di Peppe
    13/02/2024 at 5:28 am

    Can you make a larger version and include ingredient amounts? Feeding a larger crowd. Thank you.

    • Reply
      Wandercooks
      14/02/2024 at 12:43 pm

      Hey Stefania, we’d bake two pav rolls. Once you’re ready to serve, cut off one end from each, then make one very long roll on a large platter and decorate with cream to cover the join. 🙂

  • Reply
    Trish
    04/01/2024 at 12:54 am

    5 stars
    Super recipe, I made 5 variations over Christmas and not a piece was left by guests! I even made a chocolate version, delicious

    • Reply
      Wandercooks
      04/01/2024 at 9:36 am

      Oh wow, now that is epic! Well done. So glad they were enjoyed by all!

  • Reply
    Rena
    20/11/2023 at 5:48 am

    How do I keep the whip cream from running when I leave it in the fridge for 2-3 hrs. Mine gets runny in the cake?

    • Reply
      Wandercooks
      20/11/2023 at 8:31 am

      Hey Rena, your whipped cream definitely shouldn’t be going runny. Make sure you’re using full fat, heavy / thickened cream. It also needs to be beaten for long enough to have a stronger structure. Hope this helps!

  • Reply
    Karen
    29/10/2023 at 4:55 am

    I was using another recipe that I had seen on Facebook and was really excited, until I pulled it out of the oven. It was thin, salty and stuck to the paper. I quickly searched for another recipe and I stumbled across this one. Absolutely brilliant and I can see this being a staple in our house. I did need to cook longer, but reading the comments reassured me. Next time I will try cooking with convection I stead. I used raspberries and white chocolate as this is what I had on hand.

    • Reply
      Wandercooks
      31/10/2023 at 10:43 am

      Yay, that’s amazing to hear Karen! The combination of raspberries and white chocolate would’ve been divine! So happy you’ve found your new go-to recipe. 😀

    • Reply
      Maggie
      18/12/2023 at 10:54 pm

      What size eggs do you use

      • Reply
        Wandercooks
        19/12/2023 at 9:47 am

        Hey Maggie, we use extra large eggs that are on average 59 g / 2.08 oz. 🙂

  • Reply
    Anne
    11/08/2023 at 12:12 am

    5 stars
    I’ve never had any luck with meringue until this one!
    It was so perfect to work with, and it baked up for exactly 15 minutes for me. Brilliant spongy texture, rolled up like a dream.
    If I could give it a thousand stars I would.
    Thank you!!!

    • Reply
      Wandercooks
      17/08/2023 at 8:45 pm

      Oh wow, thanks for the amazing feedback Anne, and so happy to hear how well it turned out. Hope you enjoyed every slice!

  • Reply
    denise mercer
    12/03/2023 at 5:54 am

    4 stars
    I was intrigued by the 14 minute bake time, however, at 15 minutes the egg whites were still somewhat raw. I cooked for a further 20-25 minutes and it seems more cooked with a softer, spongier texture. It is a very nice recipe but I wondered if there was a typo in the cooking time, or perhaps my eggs were too large?

    • Reply
      Wandercooks
      12/03/2023 at 8:48 am

      Hey Denise, definitely only 14 minutes usually. There can be a number of factors that can extend the oven time though:

      – Make sure you have the fan forced option on your oven, otherwise it will take longer.

      – Bigger eggs and/or layering the meringue thicker will increase cooking time.

      Either way, you did the right thing – just cook it for longer until you see it start to turn that slightly golden colour on top and it’ll be fine. 😁 Hope that helps!

  • Reply
    Mary
    08/03/2023 at 12:13 pm

    What size baking sheet for four egg white recipe?

    • Reply
      Wandercooks
      08/03/2023 at 2:48 pm

      The same size as your tray Mary. 🙂 We recommend a 40 x 27 cm (15.5 x 10.5 in) rectangle baking tray.

  • Reply
    N LOWE
    26/12/2022 at 5:55 am

    5 stars
    Got to say this is the best recipe I have used for a roulade and the results were perfect – a view shared by all who ate it and wanted more. This will definitely be a recipe that I will return to, time and again. Huge thanks

    • Reply
      Wandercooks
      30/12/2022 at 9:04 am

      Oh wow, thanks so much for this feedback. That’s awesome, and so glad everyone enjoyed it!

  • Reply
    Natalie
    19/06/2022 at 12:51 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe is amazing, beautiful marshmallow centre, so easy to make. The whole family were impressed, this will be our go to recipe for pavlova from now on, what a winner!

    • Reply
      Wandercooks
      20/06/2022 at 4:32 pm

      Yay, that’s brilliant Natalie. Thanks for letting us know and so happy you all enjoyed it! 😀

    Leave a Reply

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.