How to Make Mini Pavlovas

If you’re looking for an easy, elegant dessert, these Mini Pavlovas topped with sweetened whipped cream and fruit hit the mark. 

Who wouldn’t love having their own Individual Pavlova? They melt in your mouth and a naturally gluten-free dessert.

Why You Must Make

One summer, some friends mentioned they’d like to watch me make a pavlova. Smaller mini pavlovas were the perfect way for everyone to get their own dessert. For that demo, I used a large Ziploc bag with the corner cut off to pipe the meringues. For this batch, I used an open star tip for a more professional appearance, but both options are delicious!! 

• Guests (and family!), love having their own individual dessert.
• These mini pavlovas are beautiful along with being absolutely delicious!
• You can adapt the toppings depending on the season and your preferences. The whipped cream can be topped with lemon curd, fudge sauce, other berries, fresh peach slices, sauteed apples, or whatever your heart desires!

How to Make

1. Gather your ingredients and get out your mixer.
2. Beat egg whites and sugar until glossy and billowy.

3. Scrape the batter into a piping bag with an M1 tip or into a large Ziploc bag, then cut off a corner to pipe.
4. Pipe rounds of batter onto the baking sheet. With a spoon, create a slight well in the centers for toppings after they’re baked and cooled.

5. Bake as directed.
6. Cool, then topped with sweetened whipped cream and fresh berries.

Expert Tips

• Separate your egg whites while the eggs are still cold. You’re less likely to break a yolk.
• PRO-Tip: Have your egg whites at room temperature to whip. They will whip into peaks easier and faster when not refrigerator cold.
• Use the freshest eggs available.
• Keep your mixing bowl and beater scrupulously clean.
• PRO-Tip: Any bit of grease, oil or even a touch of egg yolk will prevent your whites from whipping up properly. For this very reason, I always wash my stand mixer bowl and beaters in the dishwasher.
• Superfine sugar works really well for meringues and pavlovas. It dissolves much easier than regular granulated sugar. Domino brand makes a (affiliate link)superfine sugar.
• If you won’t be able to eat the whole pavlova on the day you are making it, you might want to consider picking up some Whip-It by Oetker. It’s a whip cream stabilizer that prevents the cream from breaking and instead keeps it light and fluffy for days. It’s available in some grocery stores or specialty food shops.
• PRO-Tip: Adding an acid like vinegar makes a more stable meringue. Lemon juice or cream of tartar can also be used.
• Add sugar gradually as it will incorporate much better than all at once.
• Bake low and slow. A longer will make a crisp pavlova. A shorter baking time will make a chewy or “squidgy” center as Nigella calls it. We prefer a little chewy.
• Top your pavlova with the best fruit available. Traditionally a pavlova is made with strawberries, passion fruit, and bananas, but it is equally irresistible with raspberries, kiwis, peaches, or the ripest, yummiest fruit available.
• With no flour in a pavlova recipe, it’s a gluten-free dessert.

Frequently Asked Questions

You May Also Like:

These tips for making pavlovas are exactly what you need when you bake any meringue-based dessert. Here are a few more of my favorite recipes.

• Peppermint Snowcap Meringues from Belly Full
• Fresh Strawberry Meringue Cake
• Strawberry Pavlova
• Chocolate Meringue Cake
• Strawberry Meringue Roll
• Chocolate Raspberry Pavlova
• More of the Best Dessert Recipes

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Print

The Recipe:

Mini Pavlovas

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Yield 8 servings

Individual pavlovas topped with sweetened whipped cream and fresh fruit

Ingredients

• 4 egg whites
• Pinch of salt
• 1 ¼ cups superfine sugar, if available
• 2 teaspoons corn starch
• 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla

To serve:

• 1 cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup powdered sugar
• 2 cups sliced strawberries or mixed fruit

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350º.
2. Line 2 baking trays with parchment paper.
3. Beat the egg whites and salt until the mixture forms satiny peaks.
4. Keep beating while slowly adding the sugar. Continue beating till the meringue is stiff and shiny.
5. Sprinkle meringue with cornstarch, vinegar, and vanilla. Mix in gently.
6. Form meringues on the parchment paper about 4 inches in diameter (I traced 4-inch circles on the backside of parchment paper for a guide to size).
7. I use a piping bag with a star tip, but you can also use a gallon-sized Ziploc bag. Cut the corner off the bag to pipe the meringue onto the parchment.
8. Make an indentation in the middle of each pavlova with the back of a spoon.
9. Put into the oven and immediately reduce the heat to 300º.
10. Bake for 30 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave pavlovas inside for 1 ½  to 2 hours.
11. Serve with sweetened whipped cream (Whip cream and powdered sugar until soft peaks form), fresh fruit and, if you'd like, a fruit syrup.

Notes

Adapted from Nigella Lawson, How to be a Domestic Goddess.

Total time does not reflect cooling time.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1 pavlova
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 273Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 53mgCarbohydrates: 43gFiber: 1gSugar: 40gProtein: 3g

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