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Whole berry pavlova with whipped cream and strawberries on a white cake stand

Classic Pavlova With a Crisp Shell and Soft Center

A nine-inch pavlova with a pale, crisp shell and a softer middle, finished with mildly sweet whipped cream and fresh berries.
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Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Cooling Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 8
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, Italian
Calories: 276
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Meringue shell
  • 3 large egg whites about 100 g, at room temperature
  • 1 cup 200 g superfine sugar
  • 1 tablespoon 8 g cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon 5 g fresh lemon juice
Topping
  • 1 1/2 cups 340 g cold, plain heavy whipping cream
  • 2 tablespoons 15 g powdered sugar
  • 1 cup 150 g fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
  • 1 cup 148 g fresh blueberries, washed and dried

Equipment

  • Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
  • Large glass or metal mixing bowl
  • Half-sheet baking pan
  • Parchment paper and 9-inch round template
  • Silicone spatula or offset spatula

Method
 

  1. Separate eggs cold; leave whites at room temperature about 20 minutes. Confirm the bowl is clean and free of yolk.
  2. Preheat oven to 200°F. Trace and flip a 9-inch parchment circle on a half-sheet pan; measure ingredients and dry the berries.
  3. Beat egg whites at medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes until foamy, white, and softly peaked.
  4. Add the sugar a spoonful at a time over 6 to 8 minutes at medium-high speed until thick, glossy, and stiff-peaked.
  5. Beat in the cornstarch and lemon juice for 20 to 30 seconds until smooth.
  6. Shape a 9-inch round with raised sides and a shallow center; the mound should hold its shape.
  7. Bake at 200°F for 60 minutes with the door closed until the surface appears dry, pale, and set.
  8. Turn the oven off; cool inside with the door closed for 60 minutes until the outside feels firm.
  9. Whip cold cream and powdered sugar for 2 to 4 minutes until soft peaks form.
  10. Fill the cooled shell with cream and top with dry sliced strawberries and blueberries; serve immediately.

Notes

A little cracking is normal. A dry shell and soft middle are the goal, not a fully crisp center.
Use alcohol-free replacements for any flavored toppings; this base recipe contains no alcohol-based ingredient.
Storage: Refrigerate a filled pavlova up to 24 hours; freeze the unfilled shell up to 1 month in a rigid airtight box.