Vanilla Berry Pavlova

This vanilla berry pavlova has a crisp, delicate meringue shell with a soft marshmallow-like center, topped with vanilla mascarpone whipped cream, a tangy homemade berry filling, and fresh berries. A little lime zest at the end brings freshness and balances the sweetness beautifully.

Prep Time: about 45 minutes
Cooling Time: about 1 hour 30 minutes
Bake time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Yield: 8-inch (20cm) pavlova, about 8 servings

Equipment

• Digital kitchen scale

• Cake board or serving plate

• Stand mixer or electric hand mixer

• Whisk attachment

• Silicone spatula

• Baking sheet

• Parchment paper

• Small saucepan

• Small whisk

• Immersion blender or blender

• Fine-mesh sieve

• Piping bag, optional

• Choice of piping tip, optional

• 8-inch (20 cm) cake ring, plate, or ruler to trace the template

Ingredients

French Meringue

• 4 large egg whites, at room temperature

• 240 g superfine sugar (1 cup + 3 tbsp)

• 8 g cornstarch (1 tbsp)

• 5 g lemon juice ( 1 tsp)

Berry Compote

• 100 g raspberries (¾ cup)

• 70 g strawberries, hulled and chopped (½ cup)

• 40 g blackberries (¼ cup)

• 40 g blueberries (¼ cup)

• 25 g granulated sugar (2 tbsp)

• 10 g lemon juice (2 tsp)

• 5 g cornstarch (1¾ tsp)

Vanilla Mascarpone Whipped Cream

• 250 g heavy whipping cream (1 cup)

• 100 g mascarpone (⅓ cup + 1 tbsp)

• 25 g powdered sugar (3 tbsp)

• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract

For Decorating

• Fresh berry

• Lime zest

Instructions

1. Prepare the meringue

Preheat the oven to 210°F (100°C),

Draw an 8-inch (20 cm) circle on a sheet of parchment paper, then flip the parchment over so the pencil mark does not touch the meringue.

Place the egg whites in a mixing bowl. Begin whipping on medium speed.

Once the egg whites become foamy, begin adding the sugar. Continue whipping on medium to medium-high speed. Add the sugar about 1 tablespoon at a time, waiting a little bit between each addition. Do not add all the sugar at once. Adding it slowly helps the sugar dissolve properly and reduces the risk of the pavlova weeping or releasing beads of syrup during or after baking.

Once all the sugar has been added, continue whipping for approximately 5 minutes.

The meringue should be bright white, glossy, thick and firm. When you lift the whisk, it should form a stiff peak that holds its shape.

Sift the cornstarch directly over the meringue then add the lemon juice. Using a silicone spatula, gently fold them in just until evenly incorporated.

Avoid overmixing at this stage, as this can deflate the meringue.

Spoon the meringue onto the center of the prepared parchment keeping some height rather than spreading it too thin. For a more decorative finish, you can also transfer the meringue to a piping bag fitted with the piping tip of your choice and pipe any shape you like.

Bake for approximately 1 hour 30 minutes at 210°F (100°C). The exact baking time will depend on the thickness of the pavlova and your oven.

The pavlova is ready when:

• the outside feels dry;

• the shell feels firm;

• it releases easily from the parchment;

• it remains pale, with only a slight cream color if any.

The center should remain softer with a light, marshmallow-like texture.

Turn off the oven and leave the pavlova inside with the oven door closed for approximately 1 hour 30 minutes. A gradual cooling process helps prevent dramatic temperature changes that can cause excessive cracking or collapsing.

2. Berry Compote

Add the berries and lemon juice to a small saucepan.

Cook over medium heat for approximately 10 minutes, stirring regularly. The berries should release their juices and begin to break down into a soft compote.

In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch with the sugar. Pour the mixture into the berries while stirring. Bring to a gentle boil and cook for 1 minute. The mixture should noticeably thicken. Blend until smooth, then pass the compote through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the seeds. Transfer to a container and cover directly on the surface with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until completely cold.

3. Vanilla Mascarpone Whipped Cream

Once the pavlova and berry compote are completely cold, place the heavy whipping cream, mascarpone, powdered sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer. Begin whipping on medium speed, then gradually increase the speed.

4. Assembly

Carefully transfer the cooled meringue shell to a serving platter.

Spread or pipe the vanilla mascarpone whipped cream onto the meringue.

Spoon the chilled berry compote over the whipped cream, leaving some of the cream visible around the edges. Adding the compote over the whipped cream rather than directly onto the meringue helps create a small barrier against moisture and keeps the shell crisp for longer.

Arrange fresh berries over the top.

Finish with lime zest.

Serve soon after assembling.

Mathilde's Tips

Add the sugar slowly. This is one of the most important steps in the recipe. Allow a few seconds between each spoonful instead of rushing the sugar into the egg whites.

Keep the oven temperature low. A pavlova should gently dry rather than brown. If the temperature is too high, the exterior may darken and the shell is more likely to crack significantly.

Assemble close to serving time. The whipped cream, compote, and fresh fruit all introduce moisture to the meringue. For the crispest texture, assemble the pavlova as close to serving as possible.

Storage

Unfilled Pavlova Shell

Store the completely cooled meringue shell at room temperature for 1 to 2 days in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.

Do not refrigerate the plain meringue shell. Refrigerator humidity will cause it to soften and become sticky.

Assembled Pavlova

Once filled, keep the pavlova refrigerated and enjoy it ideally within 1 day, as the meringue will gradually soften as it absorbs moisture from the whipped cream and fruit.