Peach and Passionfruit Pavlova
A pavlova always makes a grand impression and this Peach and Passionfruit Pavlova is probably my all time favourite version of the dessert. The combination of juicy peaches, tart-sweet passionfruit, billowy whipped cream and chewy-crisp meringue, is certain to make you swoon.
Some people approach pavlovas with some trepidation (I’ve been there) but they are actually not difficult to make once you know the little tricks. As always, my recipe includes a ton of details and all my tips — make sure to read my “10 Tips for Meringue Success” below. You’ll soon see that a pavlova really doesn’t take a lot of work since most of it is passive time spent baking and cooling off in the oven.
I have a sweet spot for this particular Peach and Passionfruit Pavlova but there is never a bad pavlova! Use any seasonal fruit you desire. Ideally, you’ll want to balance the meringue’s sweetness by using fruit that have a touch of tartness such as strawberries and other berries, passionfruit, kiwi, mangos, oranges, and so many more.
Personally, I lean away from very sweet fruit such as figs or bananas, or sweet toppings like chocolate. But it’s up to you! Remember, pavlovas are a fantastic dessert all year around, not just in the summer with which it’s typically associated. Case in point, my Winter Pavlova with Lemon Meyer Curd is also sublime. Let me know if you give this recipe a go and if you have any questions — I’m happy to help.
Eat well + be well,
Sonia x
Tips & FAQs:
Single tall pavlova versus double-stacked meringue cake
This recipe can either be made into one tall, domed pavlova or made into a double-decker meringue cake as is pictured in this blog. The former bakes up with a soft, marshmallowy center while the former bakes into flatter, crisp meringues. Which style a person prefers comes down to textural preference. Also, for those who are worried about collapsing or need to assemble in advance, the two flatter meringue discs are sturdier.
Can the corn starch be omitted?
The cornstarch creates a chewier, less brittle texture in the baked meringue. I used to omit this out of practicality because I got out of the habit of having cornstarch in the house during our Paleo grain-free days. Without it, the pavlova is more crisp through to the center.
What to do with orphaned egg yolks
You can make lemon (or other citrus) curd, crème brulée or ice cream. For savoury options, add the yolks to breakfast scramble or in addition to other whole eggs in fried rice for a richer flavour. You can also add a couple yolks to the mashed potatoes to top a Shepherd’s pie à la Gordon Ramsay.
10 Tips for Meringue Success:
1.Squeaky clean mixing bowl and whisk
Make sure your mixing bowl, whisk, spatula, hands, etc are all clean and free of any oil or water, which can interfere with the egg whites whisking up properly.
2.Separate eggs while still cold from the fridge
Cold eggs separate a little bit more easily than eggs that have come to room temperature. For meringue to whip up properly, there must be no traces of egg yolk remaining in the whites which is why I recommend separating the whites and yolks while still cold from the fridge, then letting the whites come to room temperature before whipping.
3.Use kitchen scale to weigh egg whites and sugar
Egg whites to sugar ratio is important for structurally sound meringue. I provide weight measurements in the recipe because it is the most accurate. A “large” egg can vary in size depending on the country. I’m not saying you can’t make meringue without a scale, but it is a great way to ensure your white-to-sugar ratio is right.
4.Use superfine sugar
Sugar is crucial for creating structure of the meringue so you want to ensure it is dissolved fully in the meringue for a glossy, stiff result. Also called “caster sugar”, superfine sugar is simply sugar that has been processed to a finer ground than regular granulated sugar. While regular granulated sugar can be used for meringues (I have used it), using superfine sugar is a safeguard against over whipping the egg whites since it dissolves more easily. Rub a bit of meringue between your fingers to ensure it is smooth, glossy and mostly free of grit from undissolved sugar.
5.Whip egg whites to stiff peaks
Take the time to whip the meringue to a stiff peak. This means, when your whisk is lifted off the mixture, the meringue stands up on its own. A fun way to test is to flip mixing bowl upside down to confirm the meringue does not budge or slide out of the bowl.
6.Forming the meringue for maximum stability
Pavlovas come in various sizes and shapes. Shaping the meringue is probably the most fun and artistic part of the process. If you’re new to it and worried about cracking or collapsing, or perhaps you need your pavlova to hold it’s shape for more than a few hours, one option for more stability is to divide and bake the mixture as two flattened discs for a two-layered pavlova (as pictured in this blog post). Note that dividing into two thinner meringues discs means they bake up less marshmallowy in the center. But this becomes less and less noticeable as the meringue softens under the toppings anyway. Tip: if baking two meringues, confirm your two baking sheets can fit side-by-side in your oven. If you go with a single meringue layer, you can also shape it thicker and shorter, with a slight crater on top to fill with cream and fruit after baking.
7.Bake low and slow in the oven
To minimize cracking during baking, the meringue is baked at a low temperature. Note that I preheat the oven to 275F/135C and TURN IT DOWN TO 250F/120Cbefore placing meringue in the oven for baking. Alternatively, you may set the oven to 275f and keep it there. My oven tends to run hot so I prefer to turn it down. Either way, the point is to avoid too-rapid expansion of the meringue which can cause cracking.
8.Cool baked meringue slowly and gradually
To prevent cracking, the baked meringue should also cool down to room temperature gradually. For this reason, I always bake my meringues the night before, turn off the oven and let them cool slowly overnight. If you don’t have the time, allow a minimum of 2 hours (but ideally at least 6 hours) to cool in the oven before taking it out of the oven to cool the rest of the way on a wire rack. In the event the meringue does crack or collapse, it will still taste amazing! You can also turn it into a Eton’s mess to hide the broken meringue.
9.Top with cream and fruit close to serving
Even in the fridge, baked meringue will absorb moisture from the cream and fruit, becoming softer over time. To keep it crisp, leave your prepared whipped cream and fruit separate until just before serving. A second reason to assemble just before serving is the weight of cream and fruit may also cause the meringue to collapse after awhile.
10.Avoid exposing meringue to humidity
Humidity is the enemy of meringues! As mentioned above, they absorb moisture from the toppings and from the air. On humid days, baked meringues don’t stand a chance against getting soggy. Once, I had dozens of mini pavlovas weep into soggy puddles because I brought them to a non air-conditioned party during a downpour. I’ll never forget that lesson. If you’re making this on a humid/wet day, make sure the environment is well air-conditioned! You can also freeze naked baked meringues to keep dry, if making ahead. They are delicate so make sure to use a hard container to protect them from getting crushed or banged around by other things in the freezer.
Now that you’re armed with all my tips, go forth and make yourself a glorious pavlova!
Peach and Passionfruit Pavlova
Peach & Passionfruit Pavlova
The combination of juicy peaches, tart-sweet passionfruit, billowy whipped cream and chewy-crisp meringue, is certain to make you swoon.
Ingredients
Instructions
- I encourage you to read the Tips and FAQs section in the blog post before beginning especially if you are new to meringue :)
- Prepare mixing bowl and whisk: Take out a large bowl or stand mixer bowl and whisk attachment. Make sure everything is completely clean and free of any grease or water.
- Separate egg whites: While eggs are still cold (for easier separation), separate whites from yolks. Keep the yolks to use for something else – see note 5 for ideas. Tip: Be careful not to get a single drop of yolk in the whites. Egg whites contaminated with yolk will not whip up properly. If you need to be extra careful, separate one egg at a time into a small bowl first and only place uncontaminated whites in your stand mixer bowl. If time permits, allow egg whites to come to room temperature – this helps them whip up fluffier.
- Preheat oven and prepare baking sheet: Preheat oven to 275°F (135°C) (**note** you will turn this down to 250°F (120°C) later, before placing meringue in the oven). Line baking sheet(s) with parchment paper - one if making one tall pavlova, two if making a double-decker like the one in the blog images. Draw 8" circle(s) on the underside of the parchment by tracing a cake pan or plate. Flip pencil-side down on the baking sheet.
- Prepare meringue: Whisk egg whites on medium-high (level 6 of 10 on my KitchenAid stand mixer) past foamy stage to soft peaks. “Soft peaks” means peaks are just starting to hold but doesn't stand on their own beyond a couple of seconds (this theKitchn post provides a great visual guide). Add sugar by the tablespoon as you continue whisking. After all sugar is in, stop mixer to scrape bowl down once. Then turn to high speed (level 8) and continue beating 3-4 minutes more or until thick and glossy, and sugar is completely dissolved. Confirm by rubbing a bit of meringue between your fingers – there should be little to no grit.
- Add vinegar or cream of tartar and corn starch. Mix 30 seconds more but not more to avoid deflating the meringue.
- Form and bake meringue: Dab a bit of meringue on the undersides of the parchment corners to "glue" them down to the baking sheet. Scoop meringue onto the center. Shape as desired within the drawn 8” circle. If making one single taller pavlova, make a large indent in the middle to accommodate toppings later. If making the double-decker, it's not really necessary to indent the centers. Place baking sheet(s) gently into oven and close oven door. **TURN OVEN DOWN TO 250°F (120°C)**. Bake without peeking for 1.5 hours. (Note - my oven runs hot so I turn it down to 225°F (105°C). The best way to calibrate your oven is by keeping an oven-proof thermometer inside)
- Turn oven off. Do NOT open the oven door. Allow the pavlova to gradually cool inside the oven like that at least 2 hours up but preferably longer up to overnight. If in a hurry, it’s possible to cool it down out of the oven on a wire rack but it will definitely crack more if not given a chance to cool down very gradually.
- Prepare Sweetened Whipped Cream: Add cream into the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Start whisking cream at low speed gradually increasing to high, until it has started to thicken. Add sugar and vanilla extract. Whip on medium speed until thick and billowy soft peaks. Be careful not to over whip. It should only take between 1-3 minutes depending on your machine.
- Assemble (do this as close to serving as possible, up to several hours in advance): Place one meringue circle on serving plate or cake stand. Spread half the whipped cream all over. Add second meringue circle and spread remaining whipped cream on top. Arrange peach slices and scoop passionfruit pulp all over or you may keep a few passionfruit halves intact for presentation.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
298Fat
16 gSat. Fat
10 gCarbs
36 gFiber
1 gNet carbs
35 gSugar
34 gProtein
4 gSodium
49 mgCholesterol
50 mgDisclaimer: nutritional information is auto-generated and should be used as an approximation.
🎥 Watch my pavlova video on IG:
Let me know what you think of this recipe in the comments below. Or if you make it, tell me how it went!