Pavlova Roll (Meringue Roulade)

Quick Summary: A Pavlova roll (meringue roulade) is a sheet of soft meringue baked for 30 minutes, then spread with stabilized whipped cream and raspberries and rolled into a log. It has a crisp shell and a marshmallow-like center, is naturally gluten-free, and serves 8 to 10. Make it the day you serve it for the best texture.

If you love light and airy meringue, enjoy other meringue-based desserts on the website, such as easy and quick Large Meringue, crowd-pleasing French Meringue Cake Merveilleux, summertime Plum Pavlova, or no-bake Eton Mess.

What is a Pavlova roll?

Pavlova roll, or Pavlova roulade, is a rolled meringue with a crispy top and soft, marshmallow-like interior. It is filled and decorated with whipped cream and seasonal fruits.

A variation of the famous Australian or New Zealand Pavlova, this meringue dessert has many names, including meringue roulade, meringue roll, Swiss meringue roll, Pavlova roll, Pavlova cake roll, Pavlova log, and rolled Pavlova.

Not all the names correctly describe the roulade, but they all have one thing in common: a rolled meringue.

Why you'll love this recipe

• Impressive but easy: this quick rolled Pavlova results in a very impressive-looking dessert.
• Gluten-free crowd-pleaser: ideal for any party, this naturally gluten-free dessert serves 8-10 people.
• Fully customizable: swap the fresh raspberries for cherries or other fruits of your choice.
• Perfect for celebrations: great for birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas, Easter, and Australia Day.

Equipment

Here are the tools you need to make this meringue roulade:

• Stand mixer or electric hand mixer
• 13 x 9.5-inch (33 x 24 cm) rimmed baking sheet
• Non-stick parchment paper
• Offset spatula or dough scraper
• Large metal spoon or rubber spatula
• Hand whisk

Ingredients

For ingredients and detailed instructions, refer to the recipe card below.

• Egg whites: Use large egg whites from fresh eggs. Easily separate the whites from the yolks while they are cold. Use an egg separator or the old-school eggshell method: break the egg, pour the yolk from half the shell into the other half, and let the white drip into a bowl. Let the egg whites get to room temperature before you start. Use leftover egg yolks to make Italian pastry cream, Bavarian cream, crème Anglaise, or savory hollandaise sauce.

• Sugar: Use superfine caster sugar, also known as baker's sugar or castor sugar. To make granulated sugar superfine, process it in a food processor for a few seconds.

• Vanilla extract: Madagascar Bourbon pure vanilla extract is the most flavor-filled among other vanilla extracts. Use alcohol-free vanilla flavor if you desire. 

• White wine vinegar helps stabilize the beaten egg whites so that the meringue retains its volume and keeps the air whisked into it. To replace it, use the same amount of lemon juice or cream of tartar.

• Heavy cream: Use your favorite brand of heavy or heavy whipping cream with at least 30% fat content.

• Sour cream helps stabilize whipped cream. You can replace it with mascarpone, but don't overmix the cream.

• Icing sugar: Make it yourself with a coffee grinder or use store-bought powdered sugar.

• Rosewater (optional) adds a floral note to the dessert. Combined with vanilla, rosewater makes an enticing match in this Pavlova roulade.

• Raspberries: The recipe calls for fresh seasonal raspberries. Frozen raspberries will not work in this recipe, but you can use fresh or frozen cherries. In that case, use drained, pitted, and dried cherries.

• Pistachios: Choose toasted or raw pistachios to decorate the dessert.

How to make meringue roulade

Step 1. To make the Pavlova meringue, preheat the oven to 320°F (160°C).

Step 2. Place egg whites in a clean bowl of an electric mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and whisk until soft peaks form.

Step 3. Gradually add the sugar in a few additions, whisking the egg whites on medium-high speed until the meringue becomes glossy and forms stiff peaks.

Step 4. Add vanilla extract, white wine vinegar, and cornstarch, and gently mix with a large metal spoon or a large rubber spatula (photo 1).

Step 5. Line a 13 x 9.5-inch rimmed baking sheet (33 x 24 cm) with nonstick baking paper extending 1 inch (2.5 cm) over each side of the pan. Secure parchment paper to the pan with meringue drops at the corners (photo 2).

Step 6. Spread the meringue mixture into the prepared pan and level it with an offset spatula or a dough scraper (photo 3).

Step 7. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. The meringue is ready when it forms a crust on top. Remove the pan from the oven, slide the meringue onto a work surface, and let it cool (photo 4). 

Step 8. Flip the meringue onto a clean sheet of parchment larger than the longest side of the pan and gently peel off the lining paper from the base.

Step 9. To make the stabilized whipped cream, place cold heavy cream, cold sour cream, icing (powdered) sugar, rose water, and vanilla extract in a clean, oil-free bowl.

Step 10. Whisk with a hand whisk for about 5-6 minutes, until soft peaks form: the cream will start holding its shape (photo 5). 

Step 11. To assemble the meringue roll, spread the cream evenly over the meringue, and set aside a few spoons of cream for decoration.

Step 12. Arrange raspberries (reserve a few for the decor) on top of the cream, and sprinkle with chopped pistachios (photo 6).

Step 13. Roll the meringue into a log, starting from the long end. Use parchment paper as a guide to help you roll it (photo 7).

Step 14. Transfer the roulade to a serving plate, seam side down. Decorate the top of the cake with the cream, making waves with a spatula. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Step 15. Once ready to serve, decorate the roulade with the remaining cream, fresh raspberries, and chopped toasted pistachios (photo 8). Sprinkle with icing (powdered) sugar.

Expert Tips

1. Use a clean, dry bowl. Any remaining moisture or grease will interfere with whisking.
2. Add sugar in a slow stream or one spoonful at a time. Whisk for 10 seconds before adding the next spoonful.
3. Check the meringue's texture by rubbing it between your fingers to confirm sugar is incorporated and dissolved.
4. Avoid opening the oven door while baking.
5. Don't trim the edge of the meringue roulade: it isn't a sponge cake roll.
6. Use an electric mixer to whip the cream, but keep your eye on it; don't over-whisk. 
7. Make sure to spread the cream filling onto the cooled meringue.
8. To recalculate the ingredient amounts for a classic Swiss roll tin, use this simple cake pan calculator.

Recipe variations

• Flavoring: Flavor the meringue roll and the filling cream with vanilla, coconut, almond extract, orange blossom water, or rose water.

• Filling: Swap raspberries for fresh peaches, nectarines, cherries, kiwis, or a mix of red fruit (fresh strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries). Replace pistachios with toasted almonds.

• Decoration: Decorate the meringue roulade with fresh rose petals or chocolate shavings instead of fresh berries.

• Lemon curd: for a lemon meringue roulade, spread a thin layer of lemon curd over the meringue before the whipped cream for a bright, tangy contrast.

• Mascarpone cream: fold mascarpone into the whipped cream, or add a swirl of strawberry jam, for a richer filling.

Storing & freezing

Pavlova rolls are best eaten on the day they are made, but you can store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Can you freeze a meringue roulade? It is not recommended to freeze it because of the cream filling; it doesn't hold up well when frozen.

Recipe FAQ

What is a Pavlova roll?
A Pavlova roll, also called a meringue roulade, is a sheet of baked meringue spread with whipped cream and fruit, then rolled into a log. It has a crisp outer shell and a soft, marshmallow-like center, and is also called a meringue roll, pavlova roulade, or pavlova roll cake.

What's the difference between a Pavlova and a roulade?
A classic Pavlova is a shaped meringue dessert topped with whipped cream and fresh fruit. A Pavlova roulade is made by spreading meringue on a baking tray, baking it, filling it with cream and berries, and rolling it into a log.

Is this the Ottolenghi meringue roulade?
This recipe is adapted from the Ottolenghi raspberry meringue roulade, with a stabilized whipped cream filling and a rose water-vanilla flavor. It keeps the crisp-and-soft texture that makes the original so popular.

Why is my meringue roulade sticky?
The meringue roulade becomes sticky due to excess moisture in the air. To prevent it, store the dessert in a dry place and serve it as soon as possible after assembling.

Can you make meringue roulade ahead of time?
You can make this roulade the day before, but it may lose some crispiness due to the cream. For the best results, make it on the day you serve it so the meringue stays crisp on the outside and marshmallowy on the inside.

Can you freeze a Pavlova roll?
Freezing is not recommended because the whipped cream filling does not hold up well when frozen. A Pavlova roll is best eaten fresh or refrigerated for up to 2 days.

Why does my meringue roulade crack?
Some cracking is normal and even expected. Unlike a sponge cake, a meringue roulade is meant to crack a little as you roll it, which gives it a rustic, marshmallow-like look. To keep cracks small, roll the meringue while it is still slightly warm, using the parchment paper to guide it.

Can you make a lemon meringue roulade?
Yes. Spread a thin layer of lemon curd over the cooled meringue before adding the whipped cream, then roll as usual. The tangy curd balances the sweet meringue for a lemon meringue roulade.

Love cake rolls? Try these next!

After discovering the best Pavlova roll recipe, explore the perfection of other rolled cakes on the website:

• Vanilla Swiss roll
• Nutella Swiss roll
• Coffee Swiss roll
• Pavlova roll cake
• Pistachio roulade
• Or browse all the cake recipes

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Recipe card

The recipe was adapted from Ottolenghi Raspberry Meringue Roulade at https://thehappyfoodie.co.uk/. It was originally published on November 04, 2018. The recipe has been revised to include improved content and photos.

The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.