A Berry Pavlova Wreath is an Australian Classic! Popular year round, but specifically at Christmastime, or even on Australia Day. Nothing says ‘Australian Christmas’ to me like a fresh baked Pavlova, topped with fresh fruit.
Pavlova is a baked meringue desert named after the famous Russian prima ballerina Anna Pavlova. The dessert is believed to have been created in her honour during her tour of Australia and New Zealand in the 1920’s.
It’s still hotly debated if this is an Australian dessert or a New Zealand invention. Pavlova is a simple baked Meringue topped with fresh fruit, and it’s gluten free too. I also love my pavlova topped with mango, strawberries and passionfruit.
However at Christmastime, a Christmas pavlova wreath covered in berries just looks amazing and Christmas-y. Raspberries and Blueberries aren’t native to Australia, however growers do grow them and sell them at outrageous prices. I suppose it’s supply and demand. They are sold in tiny 125g baskets for $5 each, which equate to about $40 a kilo ($18 a pound).
You could use frozen berries or frozen mangoes, but I don’t recommend it, as they will be messy and look terrible. Luckily you don’t need many fresh berries to make this awesome dessert. If you’re short on time, make an Easy Pavlova Trifle which is ready to serve in about 20 minutes.
The holidays are busy, so you can bake the Pavlova Wreath meringue ahead of time, just be sure to keep it in an airtight container until you’re ready to use. Merry Christmas and Bon Appetit! Приятного аппетита!
Berry Pavlova Wreath
Ingredients
- 4 large egg whites
- 1 cup white sugar superfine sugar if possible
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoons white vinegar
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon icing sugar
- fruit for decorating
- 1 punnet of raspberries
- 1 punnet of blueberries
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 150°C/300°F.
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Place a layer of baking paper on a baking tray. Using a pencil and a dinner plate as a guide (around 25cm), make circle. Make a second smaller circle inside (around 15cm) resembling the shape of a round wreath.
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In a mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Slowly add the sugar, one tablespoon at a time, still beating the mixture until it is thick and glossy. Add cornstarch and vinegar and very quickly beat until mixed throughout.
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Using a tablespoon, scoop the meringue onto the baking sheet, within the traced lines forming a wreath shape. Using the back of your spoon, gently smooth out the top of the meringue, where your cream will sit. On the visible sides of the meringue, create a small wave, or peak of meringue, which looks nice when it's baked.
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Reduce oven to 120°C/250°F or 100°C/210°F fan forced oven, and place the pavlova wreath in the oven. Bake for 1.5 hours, or until the pavlova is ivory, not brown. Turn off the oven, and allow the pavlova to cool completely with the oven door open slightly. If you remove the pavlova before it's completely cool, it will crack.
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Using a mixer, beat the whipping cream and 1 teaspoon of icing sugar together until soft an fluffy, with soft peaks formed. Spoon on top of the pavlova, and decorate with fresh berries or fruit of your choice. Dust with icing sugar before serving. Enjoy.
©PetersFoodAdventures.com
What a beautiful dessert. Thank you for sharing. 🙂
Thanks! It was so tasty!! 🙂
I love this ! Pavlova is my best 🙂 I definitely will be making this and using your recipe. All the best for 2016 !
Thanks Lynne, and all the best to you and yours for 2016! 🙂
Thank you so much. 🙂
My favorite dessert for Christmas!!! So yummy and looks so nice too!
Thanks Alla! I love a pav at Christmas time 🙂
Thanks a lot for the recipe. Just one query. Does the temperature change if my oven is a small one. A quick reply will really help. Thanks once again
Hi, a small oven should be the same, as long as the temperature is constant, it should be just fine! ????
My favourite dessert at Christmas! Beautiful, what a wonderful idea… Will definately make for Christmas this way!
Thanks very much! Usually Pavlova is made with passion fruit and mangoes, but I love it with fresh berries! Very festive! ????
This is so gorgeous! I love all things berry. Great photos.
Thanks for the complement Heather!!! Berries work so well with a Pavlova ????
Making my second one today in the name of family peace. Family fought over the last piece of the first.
Haha! Thanks Missy! This is the best comment I have had yet!!! ????