This sugared fruit pavlova is the perfect centrepiece on your holiday table. It's made with meringue that's crunchy and melt-in-your-mouth on the outside with a fluffy marshmallow texture on the inside. It's topped with whipped cream and beautiful sugared fruits.
Notes from the baker
Sugared fruits always remind me of Winter and the holidays. They look like they're covered in frost the way they sparkle in the light! They're beautiful and they also add a bit of crunch to the fruits.
After seeing some beautiful sugared fruit cakes on Instagram, I knew I had to do something with them too! They remind me of still life paintings and I think pavlovas also have that elegant, old world look. Pavlovas are classic cakes to make during the holidays so I think this sugared fruit pavlova is the perfect combination.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Crunchy, melt-in-your mouth outer shell. The exterior is a true meringue shell that adds some texture to the cake.
- Fluffy marshmallow center. The middle of the cake is soft and chewy and so satisfying to eat.
- Airy whipped cream filling. The whipped cream gives pavlovas the texture of fluffy clouds!
- Tart and juicy fresh fruits. The fresh fruits complement this sweet dessert and and it's they also look great as easy decorations.
Ingredient notes
As always, the full recipe card with ingredient amounts and instructions is at the bottom of this post! Keep reading for more details on each ingredient or skip ahead to the recipe.
- Egg whites - Room-temperature egg whites whip up faster. Keep the egg yolks for another recipe.
- Cream of tartar - This is an acidic powder that helps the egg whites whip up faster into a more stable meringue.
- Granulated sugar
- Cornstarch - The key ingredient that differentiates pavlovas from meringues. It stabilizes the outer shell and helps form the soft interior of the pavlova.
- Vanilla extract
- Fresh fruits - Fruits that are firm and dry with a thick skin work best when making sugared fruits. Cranberries, grapes, and cherries work well! Note that I included a sugared mandarin orange on my pavlova but it did NOT work well. The orange was too juicy and the skin was too thin so the sugar coating never set.
- Whipping cream or heavy cream - You can use whipping cream for a lighter cream or heavy cream for a thicker and richer cream filling.
Tips for making the best sugared fruit pavlova
- Whip the meringue to stiff peaks. The meringue is at the correct consistency when it stands up on its own in little pointed peaks when you pull the mixer out of it. The tip of each peak should curl over slightly like an elf hat. If it doesn't do this, keep mixing and check again!
- Gently fold the cornstarch and vanilla extract in. You don't want to deflate the air out of the meringue you just whipped so we're sprinkling the cornstarch and vanilla in and folding it in just a few times until they're distributed.
- Bake the pavlova "low and slow". Use a low oven temperature and bake it for a long time. This is the key to the light cream-coloured pavlova with a soft pillowy center.
- Let the pavlova cool in the oven. You don't even need to open the oven door. I like to let it cool completely in the oven for at least an hour or two or even overnight. There's a reason why meringues are sometimes called "forgotten cookies" because they're "forgotten" in the oven overnight. Cooling the pavlova slowly prevents it from cracking too much from the sudden shock of cold air.
- Let the simple syrup coating on the fruits dry. You need the simple syrup coating on the fruits to dry and becomes sticky for the sugar coating to stick.
- Assemble the pavlova right be serving. Pavlovas are delicate because they're mostly made of sugar. Sugar absorbs moisture from any ingredient touching it (like the whipped cream) and it can even pull moisture from the air. The moment you assemble the pavlova, the sugar begins breaking down so it's best to serve it right away or at least on the same day it's made.
More pavlova recipes to try
Recipe
Sugared Fruit Christmas Pavlova
Crunchy meringue shell with a fluffy marshmallow centre topped with whipped cream and sugared fruits
Equipment
Ingredients
Meringue
- 6 large egg whites, room temperature
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 200 g granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Sugared Fruits
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 100 g water
- fresh fruits of your choice, e.g. cranberries, green grapes
- 100 g granulated sugar, for coating
Whipped Cream
- 300 g whipping cream or heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Meringue
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 250°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Whip egg whites: In a large mixing bowl, add the egg whites and cream of tartar. Use an electric hand mixer to beat the egg whites on medium speed until they become frothy, soft peaks.
- Whip to stiff peaks: Sprinkle the sugar in, one spoonful at a time, mixing in between each addition. After all the sugar has been added, turn the mixer up to medium-high speed and whip until the mixture becomes stiff peaks that stand up on their own when you pull the mixer out of the bowl.
- Fold: Sprinkle in the cornstarch (use a sieve to sift it in if it's clumpy) and vanilla extract. Use a spatula to gently fold them in until just combined. Don't overmix otherwise the meringue will deflate too much.
- Shape: Plop all of the meringue onto your lined baking sheet. Use a spatula to smooth and shape the meringue into a flattened cylindrical shape. Drag an offset spatula up the sides of the meringue to create a striped pattern.
- Bake: Bake the meringue for about 1.5 hours or until the exterior is dry and hard. Turn off the oven and let the meringue sit inside until cooled, at least 1 hour or overnight. The middle of the meringue should crack and fall inside as it cools - don't worry, this is what we want! It will be a the cavity that we fill with whipped cream.
Sugared Fruits
- Make simple syrup: In a small pot, stir together the sugar and water. Heat on the stovetop until the sugar as completely dissolved. Remove it from the heat and let it cool for 5-10 minutes.
- Coat fruits in syrup: Add each of your fruits to the simple syrup and stir around until completely coated. You can spoon the syrup over larger fruits. Use a slotted spoon to remove excess syrup or let it drip off the fruits before placing them on a wire rack (with a tray underneath it to catch drips) or parchment paper. Let them dry for about 30 minutes to 1 hour until the surface of the fruits is tacky.
- Roll in sugar: Place the sugar for coating onto a shallow dish. Roll all of the fruits in the sugar until coated. Return them to the wire rack or parchment paper to dry until you're ready to assemble the pavlova.
Whipped Cream
- Whip cream: In a large mixing bowl, add the whipping cream and vanilla extract. Use an electric hand mixer to whip the mixture on medium-high speed until it becomes stiff peaks.
Assemble the pavlova
- Fill with whipped cream: Carefully transfer your meringue shell to your serving plate or cake stand. Use the back of a spoon to crack the surface of the meringue if it hasn't already cracked on its own. Fill the middle of the meringue with whipped cream.
- Toppings: Arrange sugared fruits on top of the whipped cream. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Sugared fruits: Fruits that are dry and firm on the outside work best for sugaring. Cranberries, grapes, and cherries work well! If the fruit is too soft or juicy without a thick skin, the sugar coating will draw out the moisture and get wet and syrupy.
- Storage: Once assembled, pavlovas don't store well. They should be assembled with whipped cream and fruits as close to serving time as possible and eaten right away or within the same day. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge but over time, the meringue absorb moisture from the cream and start to soften and dissolve.
Nutrition
Calories: 338kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 49mg | Potassium: 105mg | Fiber: 0.01g | Sugar: 51g | Vitamin A: 551IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 0.1mg
Tried this recipe?Leave a rating & comment to let us know how it was and tag your Instagram posts with @teakandthyme!
Jenny
I LOVE THIS! So pretty and elegant
Adrienne
I cannot wait to serve this It would be a treat for the eyes And a light and Delicious Experience for the palette