Description
This Christmas Pavlova is a stunning and festive dessert featuring a crisp and airy meringue wreath topped with rich mascarpone cream and fresh raspberries. Perfect for holiday celebrations, this pavlova combines a delicate crunch with a creamy, tangy topping, finished with a dusting of powdered sugar and fresh mint leaves for a beautiful presentation.
Ingredients
Scale
Meringue Base
- 6 large Egg Whites
- 1 1/2 cups Granulated Sugar (super fine sugar, if possible)
- 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
- pinch Salt
Topping
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- 8 ounces Mascarpone Cheese (or cream cheese)
- 1 1/4 cups Powdered Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Bean Paste or Extract
- 12 ounces Fresh Raspberries
- Fresh Mint Leaves (for garnish)
- Powdered Sugar (for dusting)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat the oven to 310°F. Ensure your mixing bowl is completely clean and free from any grease or water. Separate the egg whites from yolks carefully, making sure no yolk contaminates the whites. Using room temperature egg whites is essential for optimal volume.
- Whip Egg Whites and Sugar: Whip the egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add the granulated sugar a little at a time while continuing to whip. Once all sugar is incorporated, beat for another 3 minutes until the mixture becomes thick, glossy, and stiff.
- Add Cornstarch and Salt: Add the cornstarch and pinch of salt to the meringue, and whip for about 5 seconds just to combine, ensuring a stable texture.
- Prepare Baking Sheet: Tear a large sheet of parchment paper to cover your baking sheet. Place an 8–10 inch bowl or cake pan upside down on the parchment and lightly trace a circle. Inside this, trace a smaller 4–5 inch circle to form a ring shape. Flip the parchment so pencil marks are underneath but visible as guides for shaping the meringue evenly.
- Shape Meringue Ring: Spoon large dollops of meringue around the outer circle first, ensuring the dollops touch to form a continuous stable ring roughly 3 inches wide and evenly thick all around.
- Add Second Layer: For a dramatic, cloud-like wreath, add another layer of meringue on top of the first ring. Use the back of a spoon or a small spatula to gently swirl and lift the meringue into soft peaks.
- Bake the Pavlova: Place the pavlova carefully in the oven, immediately reduce the temperature to 250°F, and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Do not open the oven door during baking to prevent collapse. After baking, turn off the oven and leave the pavlova inside for 2 hours to cool gradually without any disturbance.
- Remove and Cool: Once cooled, gently remove the pavlova from the oven and set it on a serving platter.
- Prepare Cream Topping: In a large bowl, whip together the heavy cream, mascarpone cheese, and powdered sugar until soft peaks form. Fold in the vanilla bean paste or extract gently until evenly mixed.
- Assemble and Serve: Carefully spread the whipped cream mixture over the cooled pavlova wreath. Top with fresh raspberries and garnish with fresh mint leaves. Dust lightly with powdered sugar before serving. Serve immediately for best texture.
Notes
- Ensure the mixing bowl and beaters are perfectly clean and dry for stiff egg whites.
- Use room temperature egg whites for more volume.
- Do not open the oven door while baking or cooling inside to prevent pavlova from collapsing.
- Mascarpone can be substituted with cream cheese for a slightly tangier flavor.
- Super fine sugar dissolves better in the meringue than regular granulated sugar.
- For best results, serve the pavlova the same day it is assembled to maintain crisp edges and soft center.
