Description
This pavlova wreath is light, crisp, and just a little dramatic on the table. It’s the kind of dessert that looks fancy but is actually quite forgiving.
Ingredients
Scale
Meringue:
- 300 g egg whites (about 6 to 7 eggs, depending on size), room temp
- 300 g castor sugar
- 300 g icing sugar, sifted
Toppings:
- 250 ml fresh cream
- 1 x 199 g marshmallow frosting mix
- 5 ml strawberry essence
- 1 drop crimson food colouring
- Fresh red currants
- Fresh cherries, pitted
- Fresh blackberries
- Fresh blueberries
- Fresh mint sprigs
- Granadilla pulp
- Extra icing sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 185⁰F (85⁰C).
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper and lightly draw a dinner plate-sized circle as your guide.
- In a clean stand mixer bowl, beat 300 g egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form, and you start to see thin cords. Don’t rush, take your time.
- Turn the speed down to low and slowly add the 300 g castor sugar, one scoop at a time.
- This should take about 4 to 5 minutes. The mixture should thicken and look glossy.
- Using a spatula, gently fold in the 300 g sifted icing sugar.
- Take a moment to rub a bit between your fingers. If it feels grainy, keep folding lightly until smooth and glossy.
- Spoon the meringue into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle (no. 867 works beautifully).
- Pipe swirls in a ring following your drawn circle. Build it up slightly for height.
- Pipe extra small meringues on a separate lined tray.
- If you’d like, tint a portion of meringue with a drop of crimson food colouring and pipe pink ones too.
- Bake at 185⁰F (85⁰C) for 2 hours.
- Then switch the oven off and leave the pavlova inside overnight to dry out completely. Don’t open the door.
- The next day, whip 250 ml fresh cream until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to overwhip, you do not want butter.
- Prepare the 199 g marshmallow frosting mix according to package instructions.
- Mix in 1 tsp strawberry essence and a tiny drop of crimson food colouring for a soft pink tone.
- Place the whipped cream and marshmallow frosting into separate piping bags, then tuck both into a larger ziplock bag.
- Snip the corner and pipe swirls around the pavlova for a two-tone effect. It’s a bit messy, but that’s part of the charm.
- Decorate with red currants, cherries, blackberries, blueberries, and a few mint sprigs.
- Spoon over a little granadilla pulp for a tart finish.
- Add the mini meringues on top and finish with a light dusting of icing sugar.
Notes
Created, prepared, tried, and tested Gail
