Pavlova
Heavy cream and mixed fresh berries come together in this vegetarian — 65 minutes, 7 steps, and the kind of result worth repeating. Below: the ingredients split into pantry staples and a quick shopping list, a built-in serving scaler, and the method in 7 steps.
You'll mainly reach for oven and large pot. At medium difficulty across 7 steps, it's manageable with a little attention. As written, it's meat-free.
What you'll need
Shopping list (2)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
🔁 Unit converter
How to make it
- Preheat the oven to 150 C and line a baking sheet with parchment, drawing a 20 cm circle on the underside as a guide.
- Make sure the bowl and beaters are spotlessly clean, then whisk the egg whites with the pinch of salt until they hold soft peaks.
- Add the caster sugar a tablespoon at a time while whisking continuously, beating well between additions until the meringue is thick, glossy, and no longer feels gritty when rubbed between your fingers.
- Gently fold in the cornstarch, vinegar, and vanilla extract, which give the pavlova its signature crisp shell and marshmallow centre.
- Spoon the meringue onto the marked circle, building up the sides slightly higher than the middle to create a shallow nest.
- Place in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 120 C, then bake for 1 hour 15 minutes until the outside is dry and firm; turn off the oven and leave the pavlova inside with the door ajar to cool completely.
- Just before serving, whip the heavy cream to soft peaks, pile it into the centre of the cooled meringue, and top generously with the fresh berries.
You'll use: Oven · Large pot · Whisk · Baking sheet
Ingredient substitutions
- Cornstarch
- 2 tbsp flour per 1 tbsp cornstarch (as thickener)
- Heavy Cream
- evaporated milk · ½ cup milk + ¼ cup melted butter · full-fat coconut milk
Tips & common questions
How long does Pavlova take to make?
About 65 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 7 steps and 8 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of cornstarch?
Try 2 tbsp flour per 1 tbsp cornstarch (as thickener). See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Pavlova vegetarian?
Its ingredients contain no meat or fish, so it's suitable for vegetarians. Check any cheeses for animal rennet if that matters to you.
Related recipes
Pavlova is an original recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: Karolina Pavlova 2.jpg (Public domain) via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top — how we source recipes.