Christmas Pavlova Wreath

30 mins Prep Time

1 hours 20 mins Cook Time

Written By

Tara Omidvar

When it comes to a celebration or any other special occasion, Pavlova is always my favourite dessert to make! It looks very elegant, yet it is pretty easy to make; overall, it is definitely a crowd-pleasing dessert!

Pavlova is a meringue-based dessert named after the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova. It has a very crispy crust and a soft, marshmallowy texture in the middle.

The key to making a great pavlova is patience! This is one of those recipes that you cannot rush. It needs to be baked at a very low temperature with no opening of the oven door and the cooldown should happen very slowly while it’s still in the oven.

Pavlova is usually topped with whipped cream and piles of fresh fruit. Depending on the season, you can choose your favourite fruits and if you want to go further than whipped cream, pastry cream, crème anglaise or mascarpone cream can be a great substitute. This recipe has a perfect balance of sweet and sour, and it’s an ideal light dessert to eat after a heavy meal.

Ingredients

Pavlova Wreath

4 egg whites
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Raspberry Mint Coulis

1 cup fresh raspberries
2/3 cup sugar
10 fresh mint leaves
1 tablespoon lemon juice

To Serve

1 cup heavy cream (35%)
1 cup fresh strawberries (cut in half or quartered)
1 cup fresh raspberries
2 tablespoons slivered pistachios
3 tablespoons icing sugar

Directions

Pavlova Wreath

7 Steps

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 225°F. Place an oven rack in a lower part of the oven.
Step 2

Using a pen, draw a 10-inch circle on parchment paper. Then draw a 6-inch circle in the center of the larger circle. Place the parchment paper on a baking sheet, draw side down.
Step 3

Using an electric stand mixer or hand mixer, whip egg whites in a dry clean bowl for about 3 minutes on medium speed until soft peaks form.
Step 4

Turn the mixer to medium-high speed. Start adding the sugar slowly, 1 tablespoon at a time, until all the sugar is incorporated. The egg whites should be triple in size, in stiff peak form and shiny by now.
Step 5

Mix the cornstarch and white vinegar together. Add the mixture to the egg whites with vanilla extract and keep whipping for another minute.
Step 6

Transfer the mixture to a piping bag with a plain piping tip. Pipe 8-9 even mounds onto parchment paper, using trace ring as a guide. Use back of a spoon to create a hollow in each mound.
Step 7

Bake it in the preheated oven for 1 hour and 20 minutes. After that, turn the oven off and let the pavlova sit for at least 1 hour. Do not open the oven door at all or the pavlova can crack.

Raspberry Mint Coulis

3 Steps

Step 1

While the pavlova is in the oven, in a small saucepan bring raspberries, sugar and mint leaves to a boil over medium heat.
Step 2

Reduce the heat to low and let simmer for about 10 minutes or until sugar is dissolved and raspberries are soft.
Step 3

Turn off the heat and blend the mixture with a hand blender. Pour it into a bowl through a very fine sieve. Add the lemon juice and let it cool down.

To Serve

5 Steps

Step 1

Whip the heavy cream with icing sugar until stiff peaks form.
Step 2

Spread the whipped cream on top of the Pavlova.
Step 3

Spoon the raspberry coulis on top.
Step 4

Top it with fresh berries and slivered pistachio.
Step 5

Note: Pavlova can be made ahead a couple of days, store covered in a cool dry place. But once it's topped with cream and fruits it's best to be serve in the same day.