Pavlova Recipe: A Beginners Guide

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4.2 from 25 votes
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This is my go-to pavlova recipe because it’s crisp on the outside, has plenty of soft marshmallow inside and it’s easy to master. Top it with freshly whipped cream and tart fruits and you’re on a stunning dessert that melts in your mouth.

Close up shot of a baked meringue with whipped cream and colourful fruits on top

Hey team, Nick here! This is the pavlova recipe I spent weeks perfecting! 30 batches later (yes 30!) and it’s finally ready to share. I wanted something that had a thick, crisp shell, loads of that marshmallowy centre, and most importantly, one that wouldn’t sink. Once you load it up with cream and tart fruit, nobody’s going to notice a crack or two. But you’ll know it holds together and tastes incredible.

What I love most about this recipe is that it uses everyday ingredients. Eggs (fresh are best), sugar, corn starch, cream of tartar (to stabilize the meringue) and vanilla. This recipe gets results better than anything you can buy. I walk you through every step with clear instructions and photos so it’s as easy as possible. And if you’re making it for Christmas lunch, just know it’s a proper showstopper.

And before you ask, most of those ‘tests’ went to family and friends. The ones that were edible at least…

Kalina ★★★★★
Following the recipe to the T, this turned out really truly delicious 🤤 Thank you Nick, have my new go to dessert that looks and tastes sophisticated and is the easiest thing to prepare!

Showing how smooth the meringue is after is been mixed

I can already hear people asking if they can use less sugar. I tested it with less sugar. It was a disaster. The sugar in this recipe is what helps the crust form properly, and when baked low and slow, it stays pale and crisp without turning golden. Which is exactly what I want. A snow-white pav.

Theres no getting around it though, pavlovas are sweet. That’s why you top them with freshly whipped Chantilly Cream (which I don’t add sugar to) and plenty of tart fruits like berries, sliced kiwi fruit and passionfruit.

Related I have a fresh strawberry pavlova recipe which uses loads of fresh strawberries and has a smooth easy to make strawberry sauce on top too!

A baked meringue with whipped cream and fruits on top

Why My Pav Recipe Actually Works

These are the 4 things I learned in my 30 batches of tests. That’s about 150 egg whites (no yolk 😂).

  • It needs sugar to develop the crust – without the amount of sugar in this recipe, the crust won’t bake up thick enough for it to hold its shape.
  • It needs ridges when being shaped – you can create them the way I’m going to show you, or do them a little differently. Either way those ridges are really important to the structural integrity of a meringue that won’t collapse.
  • Mix on a low speed for longer – that low speed will help create smaller air pockets instead of large ones which can lead to a weak pavlova that will collapse.
  • Make sure you bake on the exact right temperature – It’ll ensure the meringue bakes with a thick enough crust, still has that marshmallow inside and will stay white instead of going golden.

Pavlova Deep Dive I’ve put together a full guide on everything I learned after 30 batches of pavlova testing, including a troubleshooting section if you want to check it out.

Prep Work Before You Begin (This Is Super Important)

I wouldn’t even start before these things are done. It will mean everything goes smoothly at every step.

  • Read the recipe start to finish – super important so that you know what you’re in for with each step.
  • Measure using kitchen scales for complete accuracy – even the egg whites. There might be half a tsp of waste.
  • Clean your mixing bowl before making the meringue – you do this with vinegar. It will ensure there are no fats in the bowl that can stop the whites whipping up properly.
  • Separating your eggs – do them in a bowl one by one first, then add them to the mixing bowl to make sure no yolks get into the whites. Your whites won’t whip up if they get in there.
  • Prep the baking tray – use a marker to draw a circle on your baking paper, then turn over so the marker side is facing down. That way you have a guide on how large to shape your meringue.

Making The Meringue

The meringue’s easy if you stick to the right speeds. I use a 7-speed mixer. Speed 3 to froth the egg whites, then speed 3 to add the sugar and whip. That slow speed gives you tight air bubbles and a stable pavlova that won’t collapse.

  • Whisk the egg whites on speed 3 until they’re frothy and reach soft peaks
  • Add the sugar 1 tsp at a time on speed 3
  • Once all the sugar is in there, stop the mixer and scrape the bowl down to make sure no sugar is stuck to the side of the bowl. Then mix on speed 3 for 8 minutes.
  • After 8 minutes, stop the mixer and check if the sugar is fully dissolved by rubbing it between your fingers. If you can feel sugar, mix for another 2 minutes.
  • Add the corn starch, cream of tartar and vanilla. Whisk for 30 seconds on speed 3.
  • The meringue will be nice thick, glossy and have a slightly bent birds beak at the end of the whisk. That’s when you know its done.

How To Shape The Pav

In all of my tests, this was one of the most important things I learned. Shaping your pav with ridges gives it the strength to hold its own weight and helps stop it from collapsing.

  • Add dabs of meringue under the baking paper so that it stick to the tray.
  • Add the meringue to the baking tray with a spatula. Roughly shape it into a cake shape.
  • Use an offset spatula or the spatula to flatten off the top.
  • Use the spatula to flatten the sides off on an angle with a wider base. Your meringue will bake out with flat sides as it bakes
  • Use your spatula to create a center dip. This will stop your pavlova from baking up with a dome. That can lead to a weak structure that will likely collapse. At least it did in all of my tests, before I did this.
  • Use your spatula to create a ridge up the side of the pavlova.
Adding ridges on the top using the end of an offset spatula
  • As you reach the top edge, gently round it out before smoothing onto the flat top, stopping at the edge of the center dip.

Tip: Don’t overwork the meringue when shaping or you’ll risk rough edges and a surface that sinks as it bakes.

Bake your meringue in the middle rack of your oven. You’ll have preheated your oven to 130C with the fan off. I only tested this recipe with the fan switched off. As soon as the meringue goes into the oven, turn the temperature down to 95C and bake for 90 minutes.

Cracks Are Normal

DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN DOOR at any point during baking or when the meringue has finished baking. Let it cool completely in the oven. I like baking my pav the night before I serve it and let it cool in there overnight. That slow cooling will prevent it from collapsing and help the crust become strong enough that you can pick it up without it collapsing.

Don’t freak out about those massive cracks. They’re going to be covered up!

A stack of 4 baked meringues on top of each other to show how strong the meringue crust is

You’re aiming for a nice sturdy crust that won’t collapse. I mean, I stacked 4 on top of each other and they didn’t buckle.

To stop the top of your meringue shell from collapsing when you add the toppings, gently score the top of the meringue shell with a small knife to create a break in the crust. Pavs often bake with an air pocket inside, so once you’ve scored the same line a few times it’ll naturally crack open. I like to go around in quarters until I’ve cut a neat circle, leaving a dip to fill with cream.

Decorating Your Pav

Decorate your pavlova about an hour before serving. Tart fruits can start to soften the meringue, so the later you decorate, the better. It only takes five minutes. Gently spoon on the cream and spread it out, then pile on the fruit. When you’re ready to serve, use a large sharp knife to slice through the crust slowly, and have a spatula ready to help lift each slice cleanly.

Loved the recipe? Let me know!

If you enjoyed this recipe, leave a star rating and comment below. It helps others find the recipe and keeps the baking community growing. Tag me on Instagram so I can see your version too!

A square image of a baked meringue with whipped cream and fruits on top

Classic Pavlova Recipe (Fool Proof!)

My go-to pavlova recipe gives you a soft marshmallow middle, crisp edges, and a Swiss meringue base that’s smooth, stable and never weeps.

Serves 12

4.2 from 25 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 1 hour 30 minutes
Cool: 12 hours
Total: 2 hours
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Australian
Calories: 244kcal

Ingredients

Pavlova

  • 5 g white vinegar, to clean bowl
  • 180 g egg whites, room temperature (see notes)
  • 300 g caster sugar, superfine sugar
  • 3/4 tsp cream of tartare, (or 1 tsp / 5ml white vinegar)
  • 15 g corn flour/cornstarch, sifted
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract

Chantilly Cream

  • 250 g heavy cream, cold (see notes)
  • 40 g powdered sugar, sifted (see notes)
  • 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract, see notes
  • 250 g mascarpone, cold (see notes)

Fruit (pick your favorite!)

  • Blueberries
  • Strawberries
  • Passionfruit pulp or syrup
  • Kiwi fruit
  • Mango
  • Raspberries
  • Blackberries


Instructions

Prep work (super important before you begin!)

  • Read this recipe first – Take a minute to read the full recipe before starting. It’ll help you plan your prep, understand what each step should look like, and avoid surprises once you get going. It’s especially important with recipes like this where timing, texture and technique matter.
  • Preparing your oven – Preheat your oven to 130C / 265F (fan off). Place the rack in the middle of the oven. I only tested this recipe with the oven fan switched off. Fan off is best for a bright white pavlova.
  • Prepare your baking tray – Line a large baking tray with baking paper. Use a 20cm / 8-inch plate or bowl to trace a circle onto the paper with a pen. Flip the paper over so the ink side faces down. Set aside.
  • Clean your mixing bowl – Pour 1/2 tsp of white vinegar or lemon juice into a large heatproof glass or metal bowl. Use a paper towel to wipe the entire inside. This removes any fat or residue that could stop your meringue from whipping properly.
  • To separate your eggs – Separate the eggs one by one in a small bowl, adding them to the large mixing bowl as you crack each one. The key here is to not get any egg yolks in the whites, even a speck can prevent your egg whites from whipping up.

Making the meringue

  • Froth up your egg whites (3 min) – Add 180g egg whites to your mixing bowl. Whip on low speed for 5 minutes. I use speed 3 on a 7-speed hand mixer. You’re aiming for soft peaks and small, tight bubbles.
  • Adding the sugar (5 min aprox) – Turn your mixer to speed 3. Add the sugar 1 tsp at a time, waiting 8-10 seconds between each spoonful. It’ll take about 5 minutes to add all the sugar.
  • Continue whisking (8-10 min aprox) – Once all the sugar is in, stop the mixer and use a spatula to scrape down the bowl to catch any unmixed sugar on the sides of the bowl. This slow mix gives the sugar time to dissolve and helps build a stable meringue. Put the mixer back up to speed 3 and beat for 8 minutes. Stop the mixer and rub a bit of meringue between your fingers. If it feels gritty (sugar granules haven’t dissolved), beat for 2 more minutes. The meringue will be thick, glossy and smooth.
  • To finish your meringue (1 min) – Sift in the corn starch and cream of tartar (I like mixing them in a little bowl first), then add the vanilla bean paste or extract. Mix on low speed, then increase to speed 2 and mix for 30 seconds until fully combined. The meringue should be glossy and thick with stiff peaks that curve slightly at the tip when you lift the beaters upside down.
  • To finish prepping your baking tray – Dab a little meringue in each corner of the tray and press the baking paper down (marker side facing down) so it stays in place while shaping.

Shaping your pavlova to give it structure and strength.

  • To shape your pavlova – Spoon your meringue into the center of your circle and spread it into a neat cake shape using a rubber spatula or offset spatula. Keep the top flat, the sides slightly sloped, and the base just a little wider than the top with smooth, defined edges. TIP: Avoid overworking it so it stays light and doesn’t dry out.
  • Create a center dip – Use the same tool to press a shallow bowl shape into the center of the pavlova, leaving about a 3cm gap between the edge of the dip and the pavlova's outer edge. Smooth any excess meringue back around the sides to keep it even, or scrape it off and return it to the bowl.
  • Create ridges (structure) – Starting at the base, sweep your spatula upward in a straight line. As you reach the top edge, gently round it out before smoothing onto the flat top, stopping at the edge of the center dip. Do this all around the pavlova. This curved motion helps create ridges which helps build a strong outer shell that supports the pavlova while it bakes and reduces the chance of sinking. Some cracking will happen. That will be covered up with cream. If it sinks a little right at the top, that’s ok.
  • Baking your pavlova
  • To bake – Place the meringue on the middle rack of your oven and immediately lower the oven to 95C / 200F (fan off). Bake for 90 min.

Chantilly cream

  • Prepare mascarpone cheese – Add the mascarpone to a large mixing bowl (glass or metal) and use a spatula to stir and break up as some brands can be firmer than others. This helps break it up a little to prevent lumps in your whipped cream.
  • Whip remaining ingredients – Add the cold heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla to the mascarpone. You can use an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, but I actually find it easier to get the right texture with a hand whisk. You’re aiming for a smooth, stiff whipped cream that holds its shape but still looks silky. If it looks split or grainy, it’s been overwhipped.

To finish decorating

  • Cut out circle – use a small sharp knife to slowly and carefully score a circle on top of the pavlova on the outer edges of where the dip was. Keep gently scoring until the meringue shall collapses and falls down. This will stop the top from collapsing when you fill the pav!
  • Add the toppings (right before serving) – Add the cream on top, spread it around and then add the berries and fruit before serving.

Notes

Eggs – Use the freshest eggs you can. Fresh chook eggs are perfect if you have access to them, but store-bought eggs are fine as long as they’ve only been in your fridge for a few days. Fresh egg whites whip up with better volume and stability because they’re less watery and their tighter proteins hold air more easily which means your meringue whips up better.
Cream – make sure you use cream labelled heavy cream for this recipe. Whipping cream will work but won’t be as stiff as heavy cream. Low fat cream will not work.
Powdered sugar – I don’t like my cream too sweet, but if you like yours on the sweeter side you can use up to 1/2 cup. Make sure you sift it!
Mascarpone – is an Italian cheese that is similar in flavor to sour cream, but more creamy and less sour. Adding it to your Chantilly cream helps stabilize it so that it doesn’t melt as quickly and holds its shape on top of desserts. It even helps hold the air in the whipped cream until the next day! Opt in for a better brand one as they tend to be thicker and make sure it’s cold straight out of the fridge! Make sure you give your mascarpone cheese a mix before using. Some brands are soft, some are firm and can cause your Chantilly cream to go lumpy.
Vanilla – I have a great recipe for Vanilla extract here on the blog which is alcohol based. It can be used for most recipes. However, I would advise against using it for whipped creams (yes, even stabilized ones like this one) or meringues as it can muck around with the air whipped in the mixtures. Instead use a syrup based vanilla extract. I find vanilla bean paste is best.
Storage – Pavlova can be stored in an airtight container, in the fridge for up to three days (undecorated).
Nutrition – is an approximate and is based on per slice. This serves about 8 people.
A note on measurements – This recipe uses weight measurements for the most accurate results. Cup measurements can vary depending on where you are, which affects the precision needed for a recipe like this. Here is where you can learn more about how to measure ingredients using digital kitchen scales.

Nutrition

Calories : 244kcal
Carbonhydrates: 8g
Protein: 4g
Fat: 17g
Saturated Fat: 11g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g
Monounsaturated Fat : 2g
Cholesterol: 44mg
Sodium: 44mg
Potassium : 83mg
Fiber: 0.04g
Sugar : 7g
Vitamin A: 598IU
Vitamin C: 0.1mg
Calcium: 47mg
Iron: 0.1mg
Nutrition Disclosure
Gave this recipe a go?Mention @thescranline or tag #thescranline!

12 comments

Chris December 9, 2023 - 10:58 am

Hey Nick, just had a question about the age of the egg whites (in the “Which eggs to use” under “How To Prep”): “Use store bought eggs that are no more than 3 days old. Fresh eggs can be harder to whip up properly.” Just want to check if this has an error in it, and if so which way around it is meant to be (are fresher or older eggs better); you say they should be less than 3 days old, but also that fresh eggs can be harder to whip up properly. Or does the “fresh eggs” in the second sentence refer to non-store bought eggs being harder to whip up? Sorry if I’m overthinking it and/or have missed something, I just have had a nightmare trying to get a good pavlova in the past and want to make sure I can get it right this year. Thanks!

Reply
Nick Makrides December 10, 2023 - 1:32 am

Great question Chris! The fresh eggs refers to fresh chicken eggs straight from the chicken. Store bought eggs are fresh but usualy take a couple days to get to your supermarket. So they’ve had a little time to age. Does that make sense?

Reply
Ashley April 13, 2024 - 7:03 pm

My pavlova sunk. It didn’t crack but it looks like all the air went out of it.

Reply
Nick Makrides April 17, 2024 - 5:51 am

Hi Ashley! Sorry to hear that! Hope you get to try it again!

Reply
Kalina January 18, 2025 - 8:05 am

5 stars
Following the recipe to the T, this turned out really truly delicious 🤤
Thank you Nick, have my new go to dessert that looks and tastes sophisticated and is the easiest thing to prepare!

Reply
Nick Makrides January 21, 2025 - 4:47 am

Hi Kalina! I’m so glad you loved it! N x

Reply
Virginia February 5, 2025 - 9:33 pm

5 stars
All my guests loved it!!

Reply
Nick Makrides February 7, 2025 - 9:08 pm

Love to hear that, Virginia! Pavlova is always a crowd-pleaser. Glad it was a hit with your guests! N x

Reply
Sarah K May 5, 2025 - 11:43 am

5 stars
This was my first time making pavlova and it turned out really well! I followed the recipe exactly – all of the instructions were very helpful. My family loved it!

Reply
Nick Makrides May 14, 2025 - 7:12 am

So glad to hear that Sarah! Love that it turned out well on your first go. Thanks for giving it a try and sharing the love. N x

Reply
Shabnam May 9, 2025 - 6:37 am

I live in Malaysia where the weather is always hot and humid. My meringue always gets sticky and soft because of this. Any helpful tips before trying out your recipe pls?

Reply
Nick Makrides May 14, 2025 - 6:54 am

Hi Shabnam! Humidity definitely makes things tricky with meringue. A few tips that might help: try making it on the driest day possible and let it cool in the oven overnight with the door completely shut. Once cooled, store it in an airtight container with some uncooked rice or silica packets to absorb extra moisture. Hope that helps and fingers crossed it behaves for you! N x

Reply
4.24 from 25 votes (22 ratings without comment)

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