Regal Fruit Pavlova

I’ve made Pavlova a number of times, but I’ve never made Pavlova like this.

In all modesty, I think this is the prettiest dessert I’ve ever made.

And you know what?

This Regal Fruit Pavlova (fit for a queen) is as delicious as it is lovely.

The soft swirls in the baked meringue are like delicate creases.

This has the kind of elegance that may look like it’s difficult to reproduce but throughout this post, I’m going to show you just how easy this Pavlova is to shape.

It’s important to shape the meringue and throughout this post, you’ll see just how easy that is.

Once you’ve created the meringue and it’s nice and smooth and fluffy, spoon it onto a piece of parchment paper .

Try to pile it high into one big mound.

Smoothing will come in the next step. 

Use an offset spatula to smooth out the meringue.

I liken this to smoothing the icing on a cake. Use the same technique as if you were frosting a cake.

Try to get the meringue smooth and as upright as possible.

Once the meringue is smooth and sitting tall, use the spatula to create the swirls.

Then, scrape the side of the meringue starting from the bottom and moving upward.

Only scrape about a 1-inch section and a time and repeat all the way around the meringue.

If you angle the scraping just a get, you’ll get more distinct swirls.

If you’re not too happy with your swirls, no need to worry.

Just use the offset spatula to smooth the meringue out and just start all over.

It might take at least a pass or two to get your swirls or creases just right.

I like to keep the scraped sections pretty close for a more detailed looking finished design.

On another note, if you lift your spatula quickly and away from the meringue on the upsweep, you’ll get these irregular-shaped edges.

That’s actually a good thing and will give the baked Pavlova a little extra interest and character.

Scroll further down to see a closer look at the baked, edgy rim.

I’ve made quite a few Pavlovas over the years but this is the first plump-bellied style I’ve ever attempted. If you want to see the full recipe I used for this particular Pavlova, pop over to Zoë’s at ZoëBakes, HERE.

And if you want something smaller, be sure to check out my post on making the more traditional, flatter, (but still super cute), mini-pavlova desserts, HERE.

Of course, there are tons of filling choices for pavlovas, but I love homemade whipped cream and assorted berries.

One tip: I always refrigerate the bowl of my stand mixer for about 30 minutes, so the bowl is a cold as the cream, for a lighter fluffier whip.

When you take this Pavlova out of the oven, it’s going to have developed a more rounded, plump tummy.

The shell is super fragile at this point and you really need to handle it with care.

Now, you may also see a few small hairline cracks here and there in the meringue crust. Honestly, as many times as I’ve made this, I’ve never been able to avoid a few small cracks.

During this baking, the top of my Pavlova sunk and dropped down inside the cavity a bit. That was no big deal either.  Sometimes the top will stay put and you’ll have to carefully and very gently saw it out with a sharp knife.

Add the whipped cream and then, gently drop the assorted fresh fruit into the cavity and on top.

Finish off the look with a light dusting of powdered sugar.

Arggg! See what I said about cracks. Spot that one? Oh well.

Carefully, slide the Pavlova onto a pretty cake dish and serve to the delight of your friends and family. 

Imagine how everyone will feel when you bring this out after dinner.

Or, next time you have to bring dessert to a dinner party…. show up with this. 

I took one of these to a dinner party and it was all gone almost before I set it down. I felt like folks were standing in line for it-lol. Now, that’s a good feeling.

Oh, before I forget, remember remember when I mentioned the rim of the meringue?

Here’s a closer look at the crown that I created.

I suppose there are a number of ways you can shape the rim before baking, but I love how the irregular tips point in, while other points tip outward.

You just have to swoop it swiftly (at the end of the meringue shaping scrape), with a quick turn of the wrist one way or the other to create these points of interest.

The tips remind me a bit of a jester’s hat. Hey, but I did call this dessert regal, right?

Each slice has a ton of texture from the light, exterior crisp of the baked meringue… to the fluffy, marshmallow-like interior.

The assortment of fresh fruit delivers another tasty element that blends beautifully with tall the other flavors.

It’s all very light and airy and a perfect summertime dessert.

Before I wrap, allow me to share a quick styling decision I made on this photo.

When I initially set up this Pavlova for shooting, I included a few sprigs of mint and a silver sugar duster in the shot (left photo).

As I was putting everything back into the kitchen, I walked passed a container with a few leftover strawberries and it occurred to me that adding a few berries to the shot might look nice.

I dragged the Pavlova back into my shooting area and reshot it with the added berries. I also switched out the silver duster with a rustic strainer I had in my stash (right photo).

Both shots work, but the added pop of red and the new/old strainer, gives the image a little more personality in my eyes. But what do you think?

And as you can see, a Pavlova photographed outside is even prettier and delicious looking.

Thanks for popping by.

See you back here next time.

Stay safe and be well.♥