Mini Pavlova Recipe #SundaySupper (2024)

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My Mini Pavlova recipe is a show-stopping, elegant dessert made with a light and airy meringue and a mascarpone filling finished with fresh berries. It is a gorgeous holiday dessert and perfect for parties!

Mini Pavlova Recipe #SundaySupper (1)
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  • Mini Pavlovas
  • What are Pavlovas?
  • Best Pavlova Recipe Ingredients
  • Mini Pavlovas Recipe
  • Pavlova Recipes Tips
  • How to Separate Egg Whites from Yolks
  • Mini Pavlova Recipe FAQs
  • Pavlova Recipe Toppings
  • Finger Food Desserts
  • 📋 Recipe
  • 💬 Reviews

Mini Pavlovas

My individual pavlovas are just irresistible, made with mascarpone, homemade whipped cream filling, and light, crisp meringue cups, which are the perfect bite-size desserts to make if you want to impress family and friends. Everyone will be asking you to share the recipe!

The most important part of this recipe is the pavlova meringue. A meringue recipe for pavlovas is made differently from a regular meringue. The best pavlova recipes are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, which calls for adding cornstarch to the mixture!

This is a holiday recipe requested by my family year after year!

They were absolutely delicious and recipe was easy to follow. Thanks for a great recipe!

Claire on Pinterest

What are Pavlovas?

Pavlovas are a meringue dessert with a creamy topping and fresh fruits for garnish. It has a crisp meringue crust but is soft, creamy, and light on the inside. Traditionally, it is served as one large cake, but I prefer mini pavlovas! Pavlova is named after the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova. It is a popular dessert worldwide, especially as a Christmas dessert!

Best Pavlova Recipe Ingredients

  • egg whites
  • caster sugar
  • cream of tartar
  • cornstarch
  • vanilla extract
  • whipping cream
  • mascarpone
  • fresh fruits (your choice; I use berries, like raspberries and blueberries)

Mini Pavlovas Recipe

How to Make Pavlova Meringue

  1. Preheat ovento 320°F. Line two baking tins with parchment paper.
  2. In a large mixing bowl,using an electric mixer at high speed, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.
  3. Gradually add the sugar and the cream of tartarand keep beating at high speed.Add the cornstarch and vanilla extract. Beat until stiff peaks form.
  4. Pipe the meringueonto the prepared tins. First pipe a small circle and then pipe on top of it, around the edges, in order to form a well.
  5. Put one baking tin in the ovenand immediately lower the temperature to 245°F.
  6. Bake for 30 minutes, and lower the temperature to about 200°F.
  7. Bake until the meringue is dry when touched carefully. Turn off the ovenand open the door halfway. Leave the meringues inside to cool down. This will prevent the temperature change from being too drastic and causing the meringue to crack.
Mini Pavlova Recipe #SundaySupper (2)

Individual Pavlovas Filling

  1. In a large mixing bowl, beat the mascarpone with powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. In another large bowl, whip the cream until thick. Using a rubber spatula, gradually add the whipped cream to the mascarpone.
  2. Pipe or spoon the filling into the holes of the mini pavlovas. Top with fresh berries and mint leaves.
  3. Serve immediately.

This recipe is perfect in every way, very thorough and tasty!

Iva
Mini Pavlova Recipe #SundaySupper (3)

Pavlova Recipes Tips

  • Baking properly is the key. For perfect pavlova bites with no cracks or burns, bake them at a low temperature. The best thing to do is to preheat the oven to a higher temperature, and then gradually lower it during the baking until you switch the oven off.
  • Don’t take the baking pan out immediately! You need to leave the mini pavlovas inside the oven to cool down, with the door open halfway. This is the best way to avoid cracks in your pavlova meringue.
  • Add the topping and the decoration right before serving, otherwise, the meringue will get soggy from the moisture.
  • If you do not have a piping bag, you can make one by cutting the end of a large plastic bag. Or, you can use a spoon. You do not need a piping tip for this mini pavlova recipe.

How to Separate Egg Whites from Yolks

This recipe calls for egg whites. To separate egg whites from the yolks, follow one of these methods. Note: keep eggs chill before cracking. It’s easier to separate egg whites from cold eggs.

  1. Crack the egg into your hand over a bowl. Catch the yolk with your palm and let the white drip into the bowl.
  2. Alternatively, crack the egg across the widest part of the shell. Break in half over the bowl and tilt the egg halves back and forth to catch the yolk in one half and allow the white to drip out into the bowl.
  3. Or, you can crack the egg onto a slotted spoon. The yolk will catch on the spoon and allow the white to drip through into the bowl.

Mini Pavlova Recipe FAQs

Can I make a pavlova ahead of time?

You can make the meringue a day ahead of time, although we recommend making them the day of or no earlier than the day before for best results.

How so I store pavlovas?

You can store the baked meringues outside of the refrigerator at room temperature in an airtight container if you would like to make them ahead of time and have them ready to serve.
Store the filling separately from the meringues.
Fill the pavlovas when ready to serve, otherwise they will get mushy.

Do I need to use cornstarch?

Cornstarch should not be omitted from this recipe – it is necessary to make the pavlova meringue as light and crisp as it is with a fluffy inside. If you need to use a substitute, use potato starch.

Love this recipe! It’s my new go-to!

Lisa

Pavlova Recipe Toppings

  • Blueberries
  • Blackberries
  • Strawberries
  • Raspberries
  • Peach slices
  • Apricots
  • Kiwi slices
  • lemon curd

You can use whatever fruit you like to top your bite-size pavlovas. We love fresh berries, but other fresh fruits make delicious additions as well.

Mini Pavlova Recipe #SundaySupper (5)

Finger Food Desserts

  • Keylime Bars
  • Milk Pie Bar Squares
  • Crumbl Cookie Recipe
  • Pumpkin Pie Cookies

This recipe is a perfect ending to a holiday meal. I love serving pavlovas when I entertain and make a slow-roasted prime rib or standing rib roast. And for another great Christmas treat, try my guide on How to Make Salami Roses!

So easy to make and such a show-stopper!

Sarah on Pinterest

📋 Recipe

Mini Pavlova Recipe #SundaySupper (6)

Mini Pavlova Recipe

Isabel Laessig

Impress everyone with this mini pavlova recipe! Mini pavlovas are great finger food desserts for parties, and are so easy to make.

4.71 from 41 votes

Print Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 50 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine New Zealand

Servings 35 mini pavlovas

Calories 80 kcal

Ingredients

Pavlova Meringue:

  • 4
  • 1 cup caster sugar
  • ½ tsp.
  • 1,5 tsps.
  • 2 tsps.

Mascarpone Filling:

  • 1 cup mascarpone
  • 1 cup cold
  • 2 tbs
  • 1 tsp.
  • fresh berries
  • mint leaves (optional)

Cooking Conversions

See our Cooking Conversions Chart for help converting measurements!

Instructions

Pavlova Meringue

  • Preheat oven to 320°F. Line two baking tins with parchment paper.

  • In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer at high speed, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.

    4 egg whites

  • Gradually add the sugar and the cream of tartar and keep beating at high speed.

    1 cup caster sugar, ½ tsp. cream of tartar

  • Add the cornstarch and vanilla extract. Beat until stiff peaks form.

    1,5 tsps. cornstarch, 2 tsps. vanilla extract

  • Pipe the meringue onto the prepared tins. First pipe a small circle and then pipe on top of it, around the edges, in order to form a well.

    Mini Pavlova Recipe #SundaySupper (7)

  • Put one baking tin in the oven and immediately lower the temperature to 245°F. Bake for 30 minutes, and lower the temperature to about 200°F. Bake until the meringue is dry when touched carefully.

  • Turn off the oven and open the door half way. Leave the meringues inside to cool down. This will prevent the temperature change from being too drastic and causing the meringue to crack.

    Mini Pavlova Recipe #SundaySupper (8)

Mascarpone Filling

  • In a large mixing bowl, beat the mascarpone together with powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth.

    1 cup mascarpone, 1 tsp. vanilla extract, 2 tbs powdered sugar

    Mini Pavlova Recipe #SundaySupper (9)

  • In another large bowl, whip the cream until thick. Then, using a rubber spatula, gradually add the whipped cream to the mascarpone.

    1 cup whipping cream

  • Pipe or spoon the filling into the holes of the mini pavlovas. Top with fresh berries and mint leaves. Serve immediately.

    mint leaves, fresh berries

    Mini Pavlova Recipe #SundaySupper (10)

Notes

RECIPE TIPS:

  • Don’t store filled pavlovas for more than few hours. You can keep pavlova meringues for few days in the fridge, in an airtight container. Place them in the container after they are completely cool. Alternatively, you can freeze them for up to a month. To do that, the best way is to wrap them with plastic wrap as they are on the baking tin with the parchment paper.
  • Baking properly is the key: To achieve perfectly white pavlovas with no cracks, bake them at low temperature. The best is if you preheat the oven to higher temperature and then gradually decrease it during the baking, until switching the oven off.Don’t take the tin out immediately!You need to leave it to cool down inside the oven, with the door half open. That’s thebest way to avoid cracksas they are caused by temperature changes.
  • Add the topping and the decorationright before serving, otherwise the meringue will get soaked by the moisture, and we want it crispy.
  • Alternatively, you can just spoon the meringue on the sheets instead of piping, but that way your mini pavlovas will be slightly bigger.

Nutrition

Serving: 1pavlovaCalories: 80kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 1gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 12mgPotassium: 22mgSugar: 6gVitamin A: 190IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 13mg

Keyword mini pavlova, mini pavlova recipe, mini pavlovas, pavlova recipe

Did you try this recipe?Tag on social and leave a comment below!

Photography by Daniela Lambova.

Mini Pavlova Recipe #SundaySupper (11)

About Isabel Laessig

Hi! I’m Isabel Laessig, also known as Family Foodie, creator of Sunday Supper Movement and author of the Boujee Steak Cookbook. Sunday Supper is my mission to bring family back around the dinner table. Join me in making family meal-time a tradition to celebrate!

» About Me

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. DeeCee says

    Can you use cream cheese instead of mascarpone?

    Reply

    • Isabel Laessig says

      Hi! Yes, this should work out just fine – and will be delicious! You may need to add a little extra whipped cream to get the texture to where it needs to be, but I’d mix it 1:1 to begin with and only mix in more whipped cream if you find it needs more. Enjoy!

      Reply

  2. Gloria says

    You say to line two tins with paper but then put one in the oven. What about the other one? Does it go in later? I’m confused

    Reply

    • Isabel Laessig says

      Hi Gloria! We had enough to make two batches, and generally you will want to make these one batch at a time.

      Reply

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Let us know what you think or ask a question about the recipe!

Mini Pavlova Recipe #SundaySupper (2024)

FAQs

What is the shelf life of mini pavlova? ›

Shelf life – Though pavs will last for a couple of days, they are best served on the day you take them out of the oven after cooling. The shell will stay dry and crisp for 2 to 3 days, but the marshmallow inside will start to deflate.

What's the difference between a meringue and a pavlova? ›

What's the Difference Between Pavlova and Meringue? Pavlovas and meringues are both made of whipped egg white, but a Pavlova has a delicate crispy exterior with pillowy soft marshmallow inside, while meringue is dry and crisp all the way through.

Why didn't my pavlova go crispy? ›

The secret to a good, crisp pavlova is in the drying of the meringue after cooking. If there is a lot of moisture in the air, whether from humidity or even other cooking you are doing in the kitchen, you will have problems. That's why the “Pavlova Nazi” in me insists on no boiling saucepans during pav time.

Why is my mini pavlova sticky? ›

Baking the pavlova on a high humid day can make it become soft and sticky to the touch.

Can I freeze mini pavlova? ›

Mini pavlovas can be frozen but we would not recommend making them ahead of time for a dinner or party and freezing them, rather, you may want to freeze any leftover mini pavlovas to enjoy later. This is because pavlova can absorb moisture as they defrost and this would make them sticky.

Can you make a pavlova the day before? ›

You can make it and leave it to cool in the oven overnight, or you can store a cooled, undecorated Pavlova in an airtight container. Once decorated with cream and toppings, they can be stored in the fridge until you're ready to serve, but they are best eaten that day.

Why do you put vinegar in pavlova? ›

In a meringue recipe, such as Nigella's Mini Pavlovas (from Domestic Goddess and on the Nigella website), the vinegar is added as it helps to stabilize the whisked egg whites and helps the meringue mixture to hold the air whisked in to it.

Why does my pavlova go chewy? ›

Sugar makes the pavlova mixture strong and stable, and is responsible for that super hard shiny crust. I found that as you reduce the sugar or increase the brown sugar (it has more moisture), the final result is a chewier, with a more fragile, shattery crust.

How do I stop my pavlova from being chewy? ›

If you don't want a chewy pavlova and prefer instead a soft centre with more of a marshmallow texture, I suggest shaping a tall pavlova and to bake the pavlova for slightly less time (about 1 hour if using the recipe above).

Can you overbeat pavlova? ›

If you do happen to overbeat your meringue (which may end up looking clumpy and watery) you can try to save it by adding another egg white.

What happens if you put too much vinegar in pavlova? ›

If you have accidentally added too much vinegar, bake the same pavlova again at 150C for half an hour. This will crips it up but also give it a slightly darker colour. Just before serving, whip the cream and spoon it onto the top of the pavlova, leaving an edge of pavlova.

What happens if you overbeat pavlova? ›

Overbeating egg white breaks down the structure and the meringue is likely to collapse during baking. Beat until firm peaks form, then start adding sugar. If the egg white starts to separate or looks curdled, it's overbeaten and you'll need to start again with fresh egg whites.

What can go wrong with pavlova? ›

Unfortunately there is one major problem associated with leaving the pav in the oven for too long - weeping pavs. Weeping can occur when the middle of the pav has dried out too much. Essentially when the marshmallow in the middle is above 100 C, some of the water associated with the egg white is going to turn to steam.

Why is my pavlova like marshmallow? ›

The cornflour (cornstarch) in the meringue mixture helps to give the marshmallowy interior. If you wanted a chewier interior then you could try omitting the cornflour from the recipe.

How do you know when a pavlova is done? ›

Bake the meringue: Bake for 60 to 70 minutes for 1 large pavlova, or 50 to 60 minutes for mini-pavlovas. The pavlovas are done when the outsides are dry to the touch. The interior of a properly cooked pavlova should be marshmallowy. It's fine if cracks form in the crust.

How long can you store mini meringues? ›

Thanks to their high sugar content and lack of fat, meringues keep very well. In fact, when stored correctly, you can enjoy your meringues for up to a month after you initially make them. As a general rule, meringues will last about two to three weeks stored at room temperature or up to four weeks in the freezer.

Do pavlovas expire? ›

An unopened, store-bought pavlova can last up to 1 week past the printed date on the package when stored in the refrigerator. Once opened or if homemade, pavlovas should be eaten within 2 days for best quality.

How long can you keep meringue for pavlova? ›

You're best off using uncooked meringue immediately, but if you need to store it, keep it in the fridge in an airtight container for up to twenty-four hours.

How do you store mini meringues? ›

Once your meringues are cool, place them in an airtight container, with parchment paper in between the layers to prevent them from crushing each other in the container. Store them at room temperature for up to 3 weeks, or keep them in the freezer for up to 1 month.

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