I LOVE Christmas! Don’t you? Nothing celebrates happy holidays in Australia like Pavlova. Mind you, while I could definitely do without the claustrophobic shopping crowds, I do enjoy the pre-Christmas get-togethers with good friends, secret Santa and family holidays on the coast each year.
One of my most cherished Christmas traditions is held with my Grandma Doris each year. After my grandad passed away in 2004, I began taking Grandma to midnight mass (she used to go with Grandad). Mass is always preceded by Grandma and I watching ‘Carols by Candle Light’ on TV and then we head over the church at around 11pm. It’s my one- time Church gig per year outside of weddings, christenings and funerals. It makes Grandma really happy and I know if I didn’t drive her, she wouldn’t go so I’m pleased to do this little gesture for her each year.
The following morning, Grandma lets me sleep in but she’s up at 6am to put the turkey on then goes back to bed for a little nap. A bit later on, we load up the car with all of her presents, the dog and the turkey and head to my parents place for a large family lunch of which I am Head Chef.
Lunch usually consists of turkey, pork, ham and baked vegetables with gravy followed by Grandma’s Christmas pudding for dessert. After lunch, we gather around the tree and dad has gift- giver duties. My little niece and nephew get excited for the first 10 minutes then present opening fatigue sets in without fail! Me personally, I don’t think I’ll ever get sick of opening presents so the more the merrier!
For my Christmas post this year I had planned to road test and photograph the secret family Christmas Pudding recipe, of which I’m reliably told, I am at least the 5th generation to make. However, the family custodians of the recipe kindly let me know it was for family eyes only when it was (most gratefully) passed on to me. So, in honouring the great responsibility of the family pudding secrets unfortunately I’m not able to share the recipe with you on this blog (though you can see my first spectacular fail attempt here). But! You do get an awesome Christmas pavlova instead, lucky reader!
The following recipe for pavlova and coulis is adapted from Stephanie Alexander’s master pavlova recipe and made to look like a door wreath. I have to admit, Ive made this a few times and the meringue below is my most successful attempt to date.
Out of trial and error, my tips for successful pavlova are;
- Make sure egg whites are at room temperature – not straight from the fridge – it makes it hard to whip to right consistency
- Add ingredients to meringue in small amounts and consistently as per recipe
- Do not open oven while pavlova is baking
- Do not take pavlova physically out of oven until completely cool
Happy Eating!
Gill xo
Berry Christmas Pavlova
(Adapted from Stephanie Alexanders master pavlova and coulis recipes)
Ingredients
Pavlova
- 4 eggs whites (at room temperature)
- Pinch of salt
- 250g castor sugar
- 2 tsp of cornflour (sifted)
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar
- 125g fresh raspberries
- Juice 1/2 lemon
- 1/4 cup castor sugar
- 1/2 tsp of brandy (optional)
- 300ml fresh cream – whipped
- 1 x pomegrante
- Raspberries, cherries and strawberries to decorate
- Bunch of holly or fresh mint
Method
- Preheat oven to 120C. Line a tray with baking paper. Use a round baking tin to draw one large circle (22cm) then draw another circle inside it approximately 13cm wide.
- Beat egg whites and salt until soft peaks form. Beat in sugar, a little at time until meringue is stiff and shiny. Sprinkle over sifted cornflour, vinegar and fold in lightly.You should be able to up end the bowl at this stage with no fear of anything coming out.
- Grab a dessert spoon and scoop a dollop of meringue. Place this dollop between the outside and inside line. Repeat until a ring of meringue is complete. Create a second layer of meringue on top of the first until second ring is complete. Flatten the top by smoothing the meringue.
- Place meringue in oven for 2 hours at 120C. When time is complete, turn off the oven and leave meringue in the oven until completely cool. This is very important as there will be less risk of the meringue cracking and collapsing.
- When cool, spread with whipped cream, drizzle on raspberry coulis then decorate with cherries, pomegranates, strawberries, raspberries and holly or mint.
Raspberry Coulis
- Blend fresh raspberries, lemon juice and sugar together until sugar has completely dissolved. Set aside until required.
Follow
Ohhh this looks so good, it’s going straight on the must-try Christmas baking list!
Yummmmmo I wan’t that now! x
This is truly gorgeous and I want some right now!!!
Thanks so much Tara – you’ll impress everyone with this on your table! Merry Xmas 🙂
Hey Gill, this looks so glam and stunning, Vogue Living here you come! I’ve tried various combos of meringue toppings in recent years and this looks like a perfect Christmas show stopper. Have a wonderful Christmas with your family and in particular your Grandma Doris 🙂 xx
Thanks so much – hope you have a great Christmas too – look forward to catching up on the new year :)xx
Beautiful pics Gill, this will definitely be on the to try list! xx
Thanks lady – maybe one for the backyard dinner series?? Hmm – Merry Xmas xx
Lovely images!
This is so beautiful! I’ve never had a Pavlova and am eager to try it. I saw this and immediately knew that it would be perfect for my 25th Anniversary next year in December 2014. How do you serve it? Do you cut it with a knife?
Yes, you just cut it with a knife and then I’d use a cake server or spatula to serve the slices. I’m making this for a pre-Christmas family event this weekend & I’m so looking forward to it.
G’day! This is a gorgeous pav, true!
Hope you have a very berry Christmas…share it via FB today too!
Cheers! Joanne
Hi Joanne – thanks so much 🙂 Looks great on the xmas table! You might also like my Xmas in July post for some extra xmassy theming 🙂
This looks fabulous, but small. How many does it serve?
Hi Kathryn – it will serve about 10 people with pieces around 3cm wide
I live in the UK now but originally an Aussie, just made this yesterday for my parents in law over from Germany, sadly no cherries, you can get them here this time of year but they taste of tyre rubber!
The wreath makes the cooking so much more even, fantastic idea, thanks so much for sharing!
Thanks Kylie 🙂 Glad to spread some Aussie Xmas cheer!
Hi!
Your recipe looks spectacular. I was wondering, does the ring shape make it less marshmallowy inside, or does it come out more like a meringue? Just curious!
Thanks Sarah – no it still comes out with that lovely chewy base and crispy top – very good!
I was really surprised, it was still lovely and marshmallowey in the middle.
How do you transfer cooled meringue base to serving platter? What can I substitute for pomegranate (in Melbourne at Christmas)- and when do you add the brandy to the coulis – before or after dissolving ingredients? Can’t wait to make this!
Hi Joan
I live in Melbourne and pomegranates are available at both large fruit and veg markets over xmas and also Coles supermarket. For a substitute I’d suggest using more of the other red berries. To transfer the meringue I’;d suggest you keep it on its baking paper base then slide it onto another plate. If you really want to remove it, I’d gently go round the bottom with a knife then slide a flat plate or tray underneath it. Hope that helps 🙂
Thanks so much. I’m hoping to make this for a Christmas Eve party next week! My neighbor has a pomegranate tree but nothing on it yet. It looks easy enough to make & the step-by-step photos are a BIG help! Wish me luck ….
Hi,
This looks absolutely amazing. How long in advance could I make the pav? I have a very busy weekend coming up and I’d love to be able to do it a few days or more in advance.
Thanks
Hi Stacey – I’d say you could do it at least 2 days in advance – make sure to keep it in an air tight container as soon as its cooled down and do not put in the fridge as it will go soft. Do not put any topping on the pav until you are ready to serve it. Goodluck!
I would like to try this recipe. However, I have no clue about what two ingredients are. What is corn flour and what is castor sugar?
Hi kathy – sorry Im not sure where youre from but outside Australia and UK, cornflour is also known as “corn starch” in the US and caster sugar is otherwise known as ‘super fine’ sugar (smaller than granulated sugar) – you should be able to find these in the baking section of your supermarket. Hope this helps 🙂
Do you open the oven door once turned off to cool or leave it shut?
Hi Min – I leave the oven slightly open once turned off
This looks amazing. I am making it today for an early christmas gathering tomorrow. I am going to add a few drops of green food colouring to the pavlova as my 8 year old has asked for green pavlova and it should end up looking even more christmassy. Hope it works.
Hi Halga – sounds fun! Hope the pav passed the green test with the 8 year old! Merry xmas 🙂
I am currently writing down the ingredient for this recipe. i am known as the pavlova queen in my family and i am planning on making this for my family for Christmas! yumo!
Great! Hope you enjoy – merry xmas 🙂
Just want to say thank you so much for posting this. I will definitely be making this for the family on Xmas Day and have pinned it to my Pinterest board. Merry Christmas!!!
You’re most welcome Alex – Merry Xmas! 🙂
I am currently cooling the pavlova in the oven, used balsamic vinegar as I thought hmmm with strawberries it would be just a bit more delicious. It was very easy to make and so far looks amazing, can’t wait to try it tomorrow. Thanks so much! I will if you don’t mind re share it on my blog once I do my Christmas post.
Hi Kate – of course you can share, let me know when you do! – I hope it all turned out well :O)
Well here it goes. I’ve made my circle too big but it will hopefully still taste great for tomorrow. Thank goodness pavlovas are forgiving! Just add more cream and berries. Merry Christmas 🙂
Just fabulous!! Perfect recipe, so easy and turned out beautifully! Thanks so much x
Great Wendy! So glad you enjoyed it 🙂
I have made this twice, it looks magnificent and tastes great too.
Beautiful, beautiful! Thank you and the family for such a lovely recipe with instructions! Hugs, Sissee in Wisconsin, USA
Hi Sissee – many Thanks – so pleased you enjoyed it x
What flavor does this have??…never heard of it…. but it looks scrumptious!
That’s a hard question becky 🙂 It tastes sweet but takes on the flavour of the fresh cream and whatever you top that with.
Hi there……..awesome looking pav :). Could I please ask (having never made one before) can this be prepared in advance ie, add all the fruit etc if we were taking to family on Christmas Day?? Or would it go soggy. Thank you
HI there Helen,
Yes you can dress the pav before you go however, I’d recommend doing this 5-10 minutes before you go then popping it into the fridge when you get there.
hi, Iv never had anything like this before, how do you eat this? With a cracker?
Hi
Ive decided I’m making this delicious looking thing for Christmas. I have never made a pavlova before. Should I do a trial run first or are they fairly straight forward? Secondly, is the base freezable??
Hi there Vanessa – a pav is pretty straight forward but it wouldnt hurt to do a trial run as all ovens are different. The hardest part if whipping the meringue and making sure its stiff enough. The great thing about Pav is that if you mess up, you can cover it all with whipped cream! No the base isnt freezable – a pav needs dry air for storing.
Can I use plain white vinegar ?
Hi Jenny – yes you can 🙂
This looks fabulous. If I am taking this to a dinner party should I take the cream and toppings with me and put it together there or can I prepare it 4 hours before we would eat it?
Hi there Trish – I would suggest whipping the cream and preparing the topping in separate bowls/containers and then assemble it when you get there. If its hot, it can melt a bit after a while. Likewise, the fruit can “bleed” if its been sitting on the cream for an extended time. Hope this helps 🙂
Oh my word. I just saw this on Pinterest and it led me to you. I am going to do a blog post about this fantastic looking dish. thank you sooo much for posting this!!!
You’re welcome -hope you enjoy it 🙂
Hi this looks just beautiful and I want to try it this Christmas. As my oven is very dodgy and only works well on the fan forced function , would I cook it 100 degrees ?
Hi there Sue – every oven is different but I would cook the pav at the lowest your oven will go and then keep an eye on it – but without opening the oven! Good luck!
I’m in Illinois, USA, and wondering if this is same as meringue cookies? If so our market sells mint flavored meringue cookies. Would that be a possible addition? Can you guess how much extract I should put in and when? Also on the superfine sugar, would powder sugar work or is there something in between that and refined sugar? My father was from England and I’ve got several recipes calling for castor sugar and never knew what to use. Love your photos and this dessert! Definately giving it a try!
I there Carol – I’ve never seen meringue cookies – at least not here in Australia – maybe you could ask your market shop assistant?
I just wanted to tell you that I’ve made this 4 times now and just love it! Castor Sugar is called superfine here in the states and is sold by brand Dominoes in a small container. I found out you definitely can not use powder sugar.
This is so pretty! I’ve never had pavlova before. Can you tell me what it is like? I would love to make it but I’m wondering what it will taste like?
Hi Jenny – Pav is crispy on the outside and chewy and sweet on the inside – it will take on the flavour of whatever you put on the topping. Go on try it!!
Hi there, can this be made a day or two in advance( without cream and fruit of course)
Would like to make it on the 23rd dec for Christmas Day
Cheers :))
HI there Carol – sure can – just make sure it’s in an airtight container and do NOT put in the fridge.
Hi – please can you advise how many people this serves?
Hi Reena this should make about 10 portions 🙂
I can not wait to try this in just 11 sleeps- I will be making it Christmas eve for the big day! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe 🙂 Merry Christmas to all X
Oh lovely 🙂 and Merry Xmas to you too!
Hi there any suggestions on how to get the pavlova comlpletely round. Thankyou.
Hi Joan – though I havent tried this, you could try using the round mould of a spring form cake tin (no bottom attached) – you would probably need to line it with baking paper to ensure the pav doesnt stick to the edges. Good Luck!
hi I just made this and cooled very well and can’t move it or do anything with it and falling apart , followed everything , so just wondering what I did wrong ?
Hi Leslie – it can be a few things – perhaps the oven was too hot, the whites were not whipped enough, humidity – its hard to say. Sometimes it doesnt work out for me either! More often than not, the oven is the culprit rather than maker. You might need to experiment to get the right balance. Good Luck!
Did you cook the pavlova on baking paper/parchment? Was the mix firm or runny? Mixing bowl? Was the pavlova left in the oven (door closed) preferably overnight to cool? Gas or electric oven? Was it a wet or dry day?
– baking paper/parchment is important as non-stick trays are not successful with pavlova
– rule of thumb is whisk egg whites using a electric mixer for no more that 10 minutes from the time mixer is turned on at high speed, any longer air will escape the mixture
– Ideally glass or stainless steel mixing bowl, plastic or similar won’t work
– Pavlovas need to be cooled completely as they continue to dry in the residual heat of the oven after heat turned off … thicker, crunchier shell
– Damp or humid environment/conditions keep the crust ‘sticky’ to touch but pavlova should still retain a good degree of crunch … if so, store in a ‘dry’ area like a hot water cupboard until required
Hi Gillian.
it looks great!
Can I add the cream and put in the fridge few hours before serving and add the sauce and the fruits before serving? thanks and have a blessed and Merry Christmas
Hi Ghada – I would suggest whipping the cream and leaving it in the bowl until the pav is ready to serve – sometimes the moisture in the fridge can make the pav crust start to go soft so I suggest leaving at rooom temp in an air tight container then topping it with cream later.
Gillian, this pav looks amazing – thank you for sharing. I have never made a pav before and I am going to give this a go for xmas day. My only concern is the oven temp. You say 120 degrees – is that fan forced?
Hi there Cheryl – lovely – no it’s not fan forced 🙂
This is beautiful! I want to make this for Christmas as well, but was wondering if I corn flour was the same thing as corn starch in this recipe?
Hi Alice – corn flour and cornstarch are a little different from each other. Cornflour is traditionally used to flavour baked goods as well as working as a stabiliser. It is also gluten free and sometimes used as a thickener for sauces. Cornstarch is processed in a different way from grain and contains gluten. It is primarily used a thickener. From looking at recipes some other people have used either. I should imagine it produces the same result somewhat however it wont be suitable for any guests with gluten intolerances. Hope that helps.
Hello, I tried doing this recipe putting white sugar on the blender until it had super small fine crystals (not to the point of being only powder) and when I took it out of the oven and tried it it was super sticky on the inside and in some parts almost liquid-y, is this normal? I didn’t use corn flour but gluten free flour and didn’t add vinegar. I know it is supposed to be chewy but sticky too? it sticks really bad to my teeth.
Hi there Mariana – I suspect that this might have something to do with using gluten free flour – if its the kind you use for cakes and such it wouldnt be suitable to make a pav with – did you know that cornflour is actually gluten free? (Cornstarch is NOT gluten free). The crust is supposed to be crispy not sticky – this is probably due to the wrong type of flour used and potentially the egg whites not being whipped enough as this caused the pav to ‘weep’from the sugar that has not been mixed in properly.
Hi there
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. It has just been shared around colleagues at my work place in Auckland via facebook. I know a few of us are making it for Xmas day.
Have a great Christmas!
Hi there Angela – lovely – I hope you enjoy it 🙂 Merry Xmas!
Hi there, to all my fellow North Americans who have never heard of/tried pavlova…. Trust me I have an Aussie friend who makes it and it’s fabulous!!! I was searching for a pav recipe on pintress and found this one. This is going on my Christmas table!! It’s so light and delicious after a big meal.
Hello! Lovely looking pavlova! Looks very good and I will be making it for Christmas. I was just wondering if you let it cool overnight in the oven or did you make in the morning and serve it at night? About how long does it take for it to cool?
Hi Katherine – you could do either. Give it about an hour to cool 🙂
Hi there Gillian! Lovely recipe, can’t wait to try it. I just have one concern: I don’t have an electric mixer, would it be possible to beat the egg whites with a hand mixer?
Thank you. Greetings from Spain! Merry Xmas!
Alba.
Hi there Alba – no a hand beater is fine – thats what I used to make this. Merry Xmas to you from Australia 🙂
Have just made the pav, actually made 2 at once as have large family gathering, has come out perfect!!! Thanks so much for the inspiration
You’re welcome Cara 🙂
Just want to say thank you! I made this for Xmas Dinner 2014 – it was beautiful and got rave reviews. Being from the NW USA (Portland OR), it’s not possible to get cherries this time of year so I subbed a few frozen blueberries and used additional strawberries & raspberries. Also drizzled with a Creme Anglais flavored with Armagnac. Thanks!
Hi there Ellen – you’re most welcome – your version sounds delicious 🙂
Hi there, Just wanted to let you know I made this on Christmas Day and it wowed the crowds. It looked and tasted fantastic. I used mint for the green and it gave it a great flavour and I used blackcurrants instead of pomegranate which really added to the wreath effect. Thanks so much, this will become an annual Xmas dish of mine.
Thanks Caroline so pleased it turned out so well – hope you had a lovely xmas 🙂
I, too, made this for Christmas. I was a bit nervous as I haven’t made pav in ages, but your instructions and tips were so clear and it came out perfectly. I was ridiculously proud of it. Thank you – the whole thing was demolished in minutes and my friends have already requested a repeat performance.
Yay! good work Hannah! You’re welcome 🙂
Even though I’m from the States, I always did English Trifle for Christmas — but since going GF I lacked a “go-to” that *I* could eat. 🙁 THIS looks like it will be even better! Thank you SO much for sharing.
I’ve never made a “pav” (as you call it), but I have eaten them in restaurants and always wondered how difficult they would be to make at home. You make it sound easy enough to give it a try for my Twelfth Night party.
How bad could it turn out, right? Even if I end up with problems, with enough whipped cream and fruit, who’s gonna’ know? Yours looks gorgeous. Happy/Merry EVERYTHING.
xx,
mgh
This recipe was fabulous ! The perfect dessert after a holiday meal – not too sweet, light and refreshing. A couple of tips: I didn’t plan my circle/serving plate carefully and the plate was just barely bigger,oopps!! I buttered the parchment paper for easy removal; I added a little litchi liqueur to the whipped cream (idea from first pav I made) Thanks so much for the recipe and I’ll definitely do it again! Sorry I can’t show you my picture..
Hi Claire – thank so much 🙂
Hi is 120 degrees for fan-forced oven as well
Thanks 🙂
Hi there Irene – I didn’t use force-fan. If you do, I would suggest lowering the temp – though a lot of ovens dont seem to be able to go much lower.
Hi, your pavlova looks amazing! I’m going to try it out for Christmas lunch this coming week! Quick question, will the pavlova still be ok if I make it few hours in advance before the lunch, plus it’s a dessert so it’ll be consumed quite late. Just worried it’ll turn soggy or soft. Is there anything I can do to prevent it from getting soft?
Hi there Cherry
Just keep it in an air-tight container after it’s completely cooled. Don’t put the cream on the pav until the very last minute – this will ensure it’s crispy when you serve it.
Hi Cherry – put the pav in a airtight container once it’s completely cooled. Dont put the cream on until the very last minute to ensure it’s still crispy when you serve it.
Hi there,
What is 250g of caster sugar in cups ?
Thank you 🙂
Hi Irene that is 1 cup
Thank you for the recipe Gillian. This looks relatively easy and I am excited to try it this evening for Christmas day. I have a larger family to feed so was wondering whether I can double the recipe successfully or whether I should make two?
I also have a gas oven and was curious as to whether this would have an impact?
Thanks again
Hi there Alicia – you could potentially do both – if making one, the ring would need to be larger to accommodate the extra mixture. I’d suggest making two just to be sure. I have a gas oven too, I dont think it will impact much on whether you make one or two. I hope that helps!
The whipped cream am I adding any sugar to it as I whip the cream? or just plain ‘ol cream and the sweetness in the base will flavour it?
Just plain old cream – i think its tastes great without it 🙂
Hi Gillian,
Your recipe made my dessert a big succes yesterday! My Son liked it so much, I’ll have to change my plan for tonight and make another one 😉
Thank you and Merry Xmas from the Netherlands!
Hi there Patrick – that’s wonderful news. I’m so pleased it was a success 🙂 Merry xnas to you too!
Fantastic recipe. Made it at Christmas and now EVERYONE wants me to make it at EVERY family celebration! 🙂
Thank you for your fabulous recipe! I brought it to a Christmas potluck last night. Not only did everyone want a photo, but more importantly they came back for seconds (and thirds)!
I did have to Google how to get to the “stiff” peaks stage when beating egg whites, and was glad I did! Also Goggled measurement conversion. 🙂 I’m in the US. Thank you for your helpful hints! I know that made the difference in making this a complete success!
I bought non-stick foil, and still used Pam. Made it easy to place on a presentation plate. Didn’t have holly, so went to the Dollar store, bought some sprigs that I liked the leaves, and cut them off. Using the leaves really makes the fruit stand out!
I will be making this for my family Christmas Eve. I’m sure this will be added to our yearly Christmas traditions!
Thank you again Gillian, you made me look like I really can cook! 😀
Hi there Dawn thanks so much for visiting the blog and for your kind words. I’m so pleased the pav was a success enjoyed by all. Merry Xmas 🙂
I made this for my Christmas Party tonight. It was a huge hit. Excellent recipe… surprisingly easy and incredibly impressive. It is so delicate. I’m pretty sure this is a new tradition for our family.
Thank you for sharing this recipe.
HI Victoria – thanks so much x
I just popped in to get the recipe again… making two today 🙂 The best thing about this recipe is that people think I’m magic when I show up with one. It has literally become my go-to for special occasions.
That’s lovely Victoria. I believe anyone who cooks for me is magic!
I made this for my Christmas Party tonight. It was a huge hit. Excellent recipe… surprisingly easy and incredibly impressive. It is so delicate. I’m pretty sure this is a new tradition for our family.
Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Hi, I am hoping to make this Christmas Eve/Christmas Day however I want to make one following the recipe which serves about 10 but then I also need to make a smaller one(approximately half the size) and then two smaller ones (1/4 of the size) if that makes sense? (For elderly relatives that won’t be at our house on Christmas Day) So basically the ingredient for two large pavs.
My concern is the cooking time for the half size and quarter sized ones. Can anyone help? I’ve never made pav before x
Have made this numerous times for Christmas Day as well as Christmas in July! It is always a huge success (and so easy to put together). Thank you so much for sharing this great recipe – it is now a family tradition for us 🙂 xox
I’ve been making this pavlova for about 4 years now, it is my absolute favourite in terms of toppings and flavour combinations. I look forward to making it every Christmas now.
Hi Gillian
I just want to find out if I can use frozen berries for the Raspberry Coulis?
If frozen berries will be too watery – can’t I cook the mashed berries until the water has evaporated (giving a thick sauce)?
Erika Venter
Hi Erika
My apologies for a late reply – Yes you can use frozen berries no problem!