Mini Pavlovas Strawberries Cream (Print)

Crisp meringue nests topped with whipped cream and fresh strawberries, a light and elegant dessert.

# Components:

→ Meringue

01 - 4 large egg whites, at room temperature
02 - 1 cup superfine sugar
03 - 1 teaspoon cornstarch
04 - 1 teaspoon white vinegar
05 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Topping

06 - 1 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
07 - 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
08 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Strawberries

09 - 1.5 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
10 - 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
11 - 1 teaspoon lemon juice

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 250°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a clean, dry bowl, beat egg whites with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form.
03 - Add superfine sugar one tablespoon at a time, continuing to beat until stiff, glossy peaks form and sugar is completely dissolved.
04 - Gently fold cornstarch, white vinegar, and vanilla extract into the meringue using a spatula until evenly combined.
05 - Spoon or pipe meringue into 6 small nests on the prepared baking sheet, creating an indentation in the center of each nest.
06 - Bake for 1 hour until meringues are pale and crisp. Turn off oven and allow meringues to cool completely inside with the door slightly ajar.
07 - While meringues cool, toss sliced strawberries with granulated sugar and lemon juice. Let sit for 15 minutes to release juices.
08 - Whip cold heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until soft peaks form.
09 - Place each cooled meringue nest on a serving plate. Fill the center with whipped cream and top with macerated strawberries.
10 - Serve immediately for optimal texture and flavor.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They taste like you spent hours in the kitchen but come together in about two hours total, with most of that being hands-off oven time.
  • Once you nail the meringue technique, you'll have a dessert that impresses everyone without requiring a fancy dinner or special occasion.
  • The entire thing is naturally gluten-free, which means you can serve them without worry or complicated substitutions.
02 -
  • Humidity is your enemy with meringue; a rainy day or a kitchen full of steam from other cooking can cause your pavlovas to weep or soften even after they've baked perfectly, so choose your baking day wisely.
  • That moment when your egg whites go from frothy to stiff peaks is faster than you'd think, so watch carefully in the last minute or you'll overshoot into dry, grainy meringue that won't fold smoothly.
03 -
  • The vinegar and cornstarch in the meringue aren't optional—they're the difference between pavlovas that stay crisp and glossy versus ones that crack and weep, so don't skip them thinking they're just old-fashioned additions.
  • If your first batch isn't perfect, remember that even slightly imperfect meringues taste incredible when piled with cream and fruit; you're allowed to be forgiving with yourself while still learning what the next batch should look like.
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