Easy Christmas Meringue Recipe
Meringue decorated with strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries, drizzled with chocolate sauce.
*Updated November 2023
This is an attractive looking dessert that's perfect for Christmas or Thanksgiving.
But you may be looking for something even easier and although an Eton mess ice cream sundae suggests summer eating, in my opinion, it's equally good at any time of the year!
So, what is Pavlova?
Pavlova is a meringue-based dessert named after the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova.
Meringue has a crisp crust and is soft, and light inside, usually topped with fruit and whipped cream. Source Wikipedia.
What is meringue?
A sweet dessert made by baking a mixture of beaten egg whites and sugar until crisp but still soft, light and fluffy in the middle.
Can you freeze meringue?
You can pop undecorated pavlovas into the freezer and thaw them when needed.
Apparently, they will freeze for up to 3 months, although I've never tried and personally, I'd say not to freeze it.
However, I don't think it would be quite the same, if I'm wrong, please let me know in the comments below!
Also, who actually has room in their freezer for such a big thing? 😐
But if really you must, in order to freeze your pavlova, you need to wrap it well with a freezer-safe plastic bag.
Then wrap in several layers of foil, making sure each layer is tightly sealed.
Ingredients
- 6 egg whites
- 300g (10oz) caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon cornflour
- 1½ teaspoon white wine vinegar
For the topping
- 300ml double cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp caster sugar
- 80g raspberries
- 80g blueberries
- 60g strawberries
- 100g dark chocolate - melted
Equipment
You will need an electric whisk.
How to make pavlova
In a cup, mix the white wine vinegar together with the cornflour and set aside.
To make the meringue, tip the egg whites into a mixing bowl and whisk with an electric whisk until they form soft peaks when the whisk is removed.
Now add the sugar, 1 tablespoon or so at a time, while whisking until it is all combined.
Now whisk for a few minutes more at high speed.
Once you have nice firm ish peaks, add the white wine vinegar and cornflour and then whisk for a further minute more.
Decorating your meringue masterpiece!
You can use whatever berries you like, but I like this mixture of raspberries, blueberries and strawberries.
Have you tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating in the recipe card below!
How to Make a Christmas Pavlova Wreath
Ingredients
- 6 egg whites
- 300g (10oz) caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon cornflour
- 1½ teaspoon white wine vinegar
- 300ml double cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp caster sugar
- 80g raspberries
- 80g blueberries
- 60g strawberries
- 100g dark chocolate - melted
Instructions
- Line a baking tray with nonstick baking paper and, using a pencil, mark out a circle 25cm (10in) in diameter in the middle.
- In a cup mix the white wine vinegar together with the cornflour and set aside.
- To make the meringue, tip the egg whites into a mixing bowl and whisk with an electric whisk until they form soft peaks when the whisk is removed.
- Now add the sugar, 1 tablespoon or so at a time while whisking until it is all combined.
- Now whisk for a few minutes more at high speed and once you have nice firmish peaks add the white wine vinegar and cornflour, and then whisk for a further minute more.
- Spoon large, equal dollops of the meringue mix along the inside of the circle line to form a wreath shape.
- Put the meringue in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 140°C or fan oven to 120°C and bake for 1 hour–1 hour 15 minutes, until the outside is hard but still white.
- Turn the oven off and leave the pavlova inside the oven for an hour, or overnight to allow it to cool and dry.
- Carefully peel off the baking paper and transfer to a serving platter. If a little crack appears fear not as you can disguise it with the cream and berries - if you look carefully you'll see a little bit of mine actually broke off but not to worry!
- In a clean bowl using the whisk attachment, whip the cream, sugar and vanilla extract until soft and thick.
- Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Stir the chocolate until completely melted.
- Now spoon the whipped cream over the wreath and add the berries.
- Drizzle the chocolate over by spooning chocolate onto a fork and using a left-to-right motion to drizzle over the meringue and berries.
Notes
The pavlova can be made up to 1 month ahead and stored: wrap it in cling film and then foil and store in a cool place.
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Cheers
Jan