Pavlova

A crisp meringue shell with a soft centre, finished with cream and fruit.

The chef adds berries to a cream-topped pavlova with strawberries, blueberries and kiwi.
Makes
8–10 portions
Heat
95°C conventional; preheat 175°C
Baking time
About 90 min

Reduce immediately on loading; cool in the switched-off oven afterward.

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Pavlova

Makes
8–10 portions
Heat
95°C conventional; preheat 175°C
Baking time
About 90 min

Reduce immediately on loading; cool in the switched-off oven afterward.

Australia & New Zealand · Meringue desserts

Pavlova

A crisp meringue shell with a soft centre, finished with cream and fruit.

Method

  1. 01 · Prepare

    5 min

    Use: Oven; sheet

    Preheat to 175°C. Mark a 22 cm circle on parchment, then turn paper over.

    Ready when: Ungreased surface

    The chef smooths parchment bearing a faint circle onto a baking tray.
    01 PrepareTurn the marked parchment over and lay it flat on the ungreased tray.

  2. 02 · Whip

    About 5 min

    Use: Egg whites

    Whip until soft peaks appear.

    Ready when: Tips bend

    A bent soft peak of white egg foam hangs from the lifted whisk.
    02 WhipWhip the egg whites until a soft peak bends over at its tip.

  3. 03 · Stabilize

    A few min

    Use: Sugar; whipped whites

    Beat in sugar in two additions, then continue to firm, glossy peaks.

    Ready when: Sugar feels dissolved

    The chef raises a whisk holding a firm glossy peak above the bowl of meringue.
    03 StabilizeBeat in the sugar until the meringue holds firm, glossy peaks.

  4. 04 · Fold

    Briefly

    Use: Cream of tartar, starch

    Fold both through without flattening the foam.

    Ready when: Even, firm foam

    A broad spatula lifts glossy meringue over a light dusting of sifted powder.
    04 FoldFold the cream of tartar and starch through gently, keeping the foam full of air.

  5. 05 · Shape

    A few min

    Use: Meringue

    Mound inside the circle, leaving a shallow centre for the topping.

    Ready when: Edges support the centre

    The chef shapes a white meringue nest on the parchment-lined tray.
    05 ShapeShape one broad mound with raised edges and a shallow hollow for the topping.

  6. 06 · Bake and cool

    About 90 min + several hours cooling

    Use: Meringue

    Put in oven and immediately reduce to 95°C. Bake until dry; turn oven off and cool inside.

    Ready when: Dry exterior; shell holds its shape

    One dry ivory pavlova shell rests on a tray inside the oven as the chef checks it from the side.
    06 Bake and coolAfter the low bake, leave the dry shell in the switched-off oven to cool completely.

  7. 07 · Finish

    5 min

    Use: Cream; cooled shell; fruit

    Whip cream to soft peaks. Top the cold shell with cream and fruit just before serving.

    Ready when: Cream smooth; fruit not dripping

    The chef adds berries to a cream-topped pavlova with strawberries, blueberries and kiwi.
    07 FinishTop the completely cold shell with softly whipped cream and dry prepared fruit just before serving.

What to look for

StageLook / feel forNeeds attention
FoamStiff peaks and no obvious sugar grit.Grease, yolk or a loose foam.
CoolingMinor cracks are acceptable.A sudden move from hot oven to cold air.

Troubleshooting

If you see thisLikely causeWhat to do nowNext time
Beads or sticky surfaceSugar remains undissolved or humidity is high.Serve soon after assembling.Use fine sugar and check it before baking.
Foam will not stiffenGrease or yolk contamination.Restart with a clean bowl and fresh whites.Separate eggs one at a time.
Large collapseAbrupt cooling or a wet shell.Serve broken pieces with cream and fruit.Cool gradually and use the dry-shell cue.

Vanilla is omitted. Cream and fruit are serving quantities; choose fruit to taste.

Ingredient choices & substitutions
IngredientSpecified typeBrandStatus
Caster sugarFine white sugarNo required brandMatch the ingredient type
Cream of tartarDry food acidNo required brandMatch the ingredient type
IngredientAlternative / ratioAdjust handlingLikely outcome
Caster sugarGranulated sugar briefly processed finerEqual weightAvoid turning it into icing sugar.Dissolves more readily than coarse crystals.
Cream of tartarLemon juice5 mL in place of 2.5 mL cream of tartarFold gently; keep other quantities.The source found liquid acid may allow more spread.

Match the ingredient’s function and weight. See the flour, gluten, yeast and salt guide.

Other approaches to this recipe

McKenney’s four-white, 200 g sugar formula is the base. Chelsea’s six-white version uses 450 g sugar and a constant 110°C oven. Those ratios and schedules are materially different and remain separate evidence.

Cook / recipeUseWhat differs
Sally’s Baking · Sally McKenneyPavlovaWorking baseCredits reader Laurel for the base recipe; McKenney reports her own trials of acid choices and starch levels.
Chelsea Sugar · developer not namedPerfect PavlovaComparison and serving guidanceSix whites, substantially more sugar and a different oven schedule; specified brands are commercial product references.
RecipeTin Eats · Nagi MaehashiPavlovaTexture and cooling comparisonAlso uses a hot preheat followed by a low bake, but with different egg and starch quantities.

The working ingredients and method form one recipe. Different formulas are compared without averaging their quantities or rise schedules.

Sally’s Baking · Sally McKenney

Recipe

Pavlova

A crisp meringue shell with a soft centre, finished with cream and fruit.

How do I make it?

  1. Get ready

    5 min

    Heat the oven to 175°C. Draw a 22 cm circle on parchment, turn the paper over and put it on a baking sheet without greasing; allow about 5 minutes.

    The chef smooths parchment bearing a faint circle onto a baking tray.
    Turn the marked parchment over and lay it flat on the ungreased tray.

    Ready when: Ungreased surface

  2. Beat the whites

    About 5 min

    Beat the egg whites for about 5 minutes, until peaks form with tips that bend.

    A bent soft peak of white egg foam hangs from the lifted whisk.
    Whip the egg whites until a soft peak bends over at its tip.

    Ready when: Tips bend

  3. Add sugar

    A few min

    Beat in the sugar in two batches. Continue for a few minutes until the peaks are firm and glossy and the sugar feels dissolved.

    The chef raises a whisk holding a firm glossy peak above the bowl of meringue.
    Beat in the sugar until the meringue holds firm, glossy peaks.

    Ready when: Sugar feels dissolved

  4. Fold in the powders

    Briefly

    Gently lift and fold the cream of tartar and cornstarch through the mixture until even. Keep as much air in the firm foam as possible.

    A broad spatula lifts glossy meringue over a light dusting of sifted powder.
    Fold the cream of tartar and starch through gently, keeping the foam full of air.

    Ready when: Even, firm foam

  5. Shape

    A few min

    Spoon the mixture inside the marked circle, making a shallow hollow in the centre for the topping. Keep the edges high enough to support the middle; this takes a few minutes.

    The chef shapes a white meringue nest on the parchment-lined tray.
    Shape one broad mound with raised edges and a shallow hollow for the topping.

    Ready when: Edges support the centre

  6. Bake and cool

    About 90 min + several hours cooling

    Put in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 95°C. Bake for about 90 minutes, until the outside is dry and the shell holds its shape. Turn the oven off and leave the pavlova inside to cool for several hours.

    One dry ivory pavlova shell rests on a tray inside the oven as the chef checks it from the side.
    After the low bake, leave the dry shell in the switched-off oven to cool completely.

    Ready when: Dry exterior; shell holds its shape

  7. Add the topping

    5 min

    Whip the cream to soft peaks, keeping it smooth. Just before serving, put the cream and surface-dry fruit onto the completely cold shell; allow about 5 minutes.

    The chef adds berries to a cream-topped pavlova with strawberries, blueberries and kiwi.
    Top the completely cold shell with softly whipped cream and dry prepared fruit just before serving.

    Ready when: Cream smooth; fruit not dripping

What can go wrong, and how can I fix it?

What you noticeLikely causeWhat to do
Beads or sticky surfaceSugar remains undissolved or humidity is high.Serve soon after assembling. Use fine sugar and check it before baking.
Foam will not stiffenGrease or yolk contamination.Restart with a clean bowl and fresh whites. Separate eggs one at a time.
Large collapseAbrupt cooling or a wet shell.Serve broken pieces with cream and fruit. Cool gradually and use the dry-shell cue.
Useful recipe notes

Vanilla is omitted. Cream and fruit are serving quantities; choose fruit to taste.

See the detailed method and ratios in , or follow ingredients through the .

Ingredient proportions & recipe details

Pavlova at a glance

Makes
8–10 portions
Heat
95°C conventional; preheat 175°C
Baking time
About 90 min