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Australian · New Zealand

Pavlova

Contains egg (no meat or fish)

A large meringue with a crisp shell and a soft, marshmallowy centre, piled with whipped cream and fresh fruit such as passion fruit, kiwi and strawberries.

Pavlova is an Australian dessert, ready in about 3 hours 10 minutes and made with egg white and sugar. It serves 8 and is rated intermediate to cook.

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A visually appealing display of mini Pavlovas topped with strawberries and blueberries, perfect for events.
Photo: Laura Beauty Designer | Brasil / Pexels · Pexels License
Prep
25 min
Cook
1 h 15 min
Rest
1 h 30 min
Total
3 h 10 min
Serves
8
Level
Intermediate
Calories
272

Ingredients

8 servings

Topping

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oven (opens in a new tab) to 120 °C (fan 100 °C). Draw a 22 cm circle on baking paper and lay it, drawn side down, on a baking tray.

  2. Step 2

    In a spotlessly clean bowl, whisk (opens in a new tab) the egg whites (opens in a new tab) to soft peaks. With the mixer running, add the sugar (opens in a new tab) a spoonful at a time and keep whisking until the meringue is thick and glossy and no grains can be felt when rubbed between your fingers.

    Eggs being whisked in a bowl
    How it looks · Photo: Kampus Production on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Fold in the cornflour (opens in a new tab), vinegar and vanilla (opens in a new tab).

    • 1 min

  4. Step 4

    Spoon onto the circle, building up the sides slightly to leave a shallow dip in the middle. Bake for 75 minutes, until crisp and dry outside.

  5. Step 5

    Turn off the oven (opens in a new tab) and leave the pavlova inside with the door ajar until completely cool, at least 1½ hours. Cracks are normal.

    • 90 min

  6. Step 6

    Just before serving, pile on the whipped cream and top with strawberries (opens in a new tab), kiwi (opens in a new tab) and passion fruit (opens in a new tab) pulp.

    • 5 min

About this dish

Origin
Not attributed to one place · Origin disputedAustralia and New Zealand both claim the pavlova; it is named after the ballerina Anna Pavlova, who toured both countries in the 1920s.Also popular in Australia, New Zealand
Dish
Dessert · Desserts
Cooking method
Oven-baked, Whipped
Taste
sweet, fruity, creamy, tangy
Diet
Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · No gluten ingredients · No nut ingredients
All labelsVegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · No gluten ingredients · No nut ingredients · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-sodium
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Festive & celebration · Make-ahead
Cook more with
Egg white · Sugar · Cornstarch · White vinegar · Vanilla extract · Heavy cream
Techniques
Baking · Emulsification

Allergens

  • Contains: Milkfrom heavy cream
  • Contains: Eggsfrom egg white

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

272 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 133 g · recipe makes 8

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 5%
  • Carbohydrate 51%
  • Fat 44%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy272 kcal205 kcal
Protein3.4 g2.6 g
Carbohydrate35.4 g26.7 g
Net carbohydrate33.7 g25.4 g
Sugars32.3 g24.3 g
Added sugars27.5 g20.7 g
Fibre1.7 g1.3 g
Fat13.8 g10.4 g
Saturated fat8.6 g6.5 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol42 mg32 mg
Sodium41 mg31 mg
Salt equivalent0.1 g0.1 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
180 mg
Calcium
37 mg
Iron
0.3 mg
Magnesium
13 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
159 µg
Vitamin C
33 mg
Vitamin D
0.6 µg
Vitamin B12
0.1 µg
Folate (DFE)
13 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Any trace of yolk or grease in the bowl stops the whites from whipping.

Common mistakes

  • Topping the pavlova too early — the cream softens the meringue within an hour.

Storage

  • The un-topped meringue keeps 2 days in an airtight container at room temperature; once topped, eat the same day.

Variations

  • Christmas pavlova: Topped with cherries, berries and mint for a summer Christmas.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Sauces, chutneys & dips for this dish

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Built from the recipe’s own sections. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

  • Egg white, at room temperature4 piece · 132 g
Used in step 2

Baker’s notes

Customise in Bread & Bakery

Timeline and readiness cues

  1. Mix and knead · about 25 min

    Whisk eggs and sugar until pale and thick enough to leave a ribbon trail for 3 seconds.

  2. Bake · about 1 h 15 min at 120 °C

    Springs back when lightly pressed and is just shrinking from the tin sides.

  3. Cool · about 1 h 30 min

    Cool on a rack before slicing — the crumb is still setting; cutting hot bread makes it gummy.

  4. Start to finish: about 3 h 10 min. Times are a guide — warmth changes everything; follow the cues.

If something goes wrong

  • Gummy or wet crumb

    Likely causes

    • Under-baked
    • Sliced while hot
    • Hydration too high for the flour

    What to do

    • Bake to 93–96 °C inside (cakes: clean skewer)
    • Cool completely on a rack before slicing
    • Reduce water by 3–5% or use a stronger flour
  • Collapsed or sunken middle

    Likely causes

    • Oven door opened too early
    • Too much leavening or sugar
    • Under-baked centre
    • Over-proofed yeast dough

    What to do

    • Don't open the oven for the first two-thirds of baking
    • Measure leaveners exactly with spoons, levelled
    • Test the centre before removing
    • Proof less
  • Pale crust

    Likely causes

    • Oven too cool
    • Too little sugar or no milk/egg for browning
    • Over-fermented (yeast ate the sugars)

    What to do

    • Check the oven with a thermometer
    • Brush with egg wash or milk
    • Shorten the fermentation
  • Burnt bottom

    Likely causes

    • Tray too close to the heat
    • Dark tray absorbs more heat
    • Too much sugar in the dough

    What to do

    • Bake on the middle shelf
    • Double up trays or use a light-coloured one
    • Lower the temperature 10–15 °C and bake a little longer
  • Cracked or domed top

    Likely causes

    • Oven too hot (crust sets before the centre rises)
    • Too much leavening
    • Overmixed batter

    What to do

    • Lower the oven 10–15 °C
    • Use the exact leavening amount
    • Fold just until combined
  • Big holes or tunnels

    Likely causes

    • Overmixed batter (cakes, muffins)
    • Air trapped while shaping bread
    • Uneven proof

    What to do

    • Mix quick breads only until no dry flour shows
    • Degas gently and shape tightly
    • Proof covered in an even, warm place
  • Dry or crumbly

    Likely causes

    • Too much flour (scooped, not weighed)
    • Over-baked
    • Too little fat or sugar

    What to do

    • Weigh flour, or spoon it into the cup and level
    • Check 5 minutes early
    • Don't cut fat or sugar by more than a quarter without another moisture source

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