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Plum Pavlova Recipe

Name: Plum Pavlova Recipe
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Australian
Ingredients: 6 egg whites; 1 1/3 cups + 2 tablespoons (330 g) granulated sugar; 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar; 2 tablespoons corn starch; 1 pinch of salt; 1/3 cup + 5 1/2 teaspoons (100 g) granulated sugar; 1/3 cup + 1 1/2 tablespoon (100 ml) red wine; 2-3 plums, quartered and pitted; 1 cup + 1 1/2 tablespoons (250 ml) heavy cream, 30% fat; 0.4 oz (10 g) dark chocolate shavings

Published: Aug 7, 2021 · Modified: Aug 12, 2022 by Irina · This post may contain affiliate links · 48 Comments

Topped with sweet-yet-boozy poached plums and sprinkled with chocolate shavings, this delicious plum Pavlova is the ultimate crowd-pleaser. So just give everyone a spoon and let them dig in!

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Pavlova topped with plum slices, chocolate and poured with the red wine sauce: Overhead view

When I think of Pavlova, there is a beautiful taste that comes to mind. It's light and airy like the dessert itself; it is so much lighter than some other desserts today. Plus, you can shape it in different ways, too: the possibilities are endless!

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Origin of Pavlova
Why you should try this recipe
Ingredients
How to make plum Pavlova
Recipe variations
Expert tips
Storing and freezing
Recipe FAQ
Love cakes? Try these next!
Need to adjust your baking pan size?
Recipe card
Comments

I love meringue desserts in general, but when people talk about their favorite type of sweet treat, most will say that Pavlova is at the top of their list.

The white color makes for such a minimalist look with all these different flavors mixed together on one plate - it tastes as good as it looks too!

As someone who loves making and shaping the meringue from their own imagination and creativity, this dish never fails to make.

After making Cinnamon Pavlova, I decided to make a classic meringue Pavlova and top it with boozy poached plums, one of my favorite summer stone fruits.

Ready Pavlova topped with boozy poached plums and sprinkled with chocolate: Close up

Origin of Pavlova

The dessert's name comes from the world-famous Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, who was touring around the world in 1926.

A legend states that the ballerina so inspired a chef from either Australia or New Zealand that he created a national dessert - meringue topped with whipped cream and passion fruit.

To celebrate Australia day, nowadays, the Pavlova dessert is shaped into the shape of Australia.

It has been a long-standing rivalry between the New Zealanders and Australians as to who invented the Pavlova.

However, according to recent findings, the dessert Pavlova belongs to the Americans and the English.

Who knows, maybe this controversial debate between Australia and New Zealand is finally over.

Why you should try this recipe

This Pavlova recipe has been tested and retested many times. This simple egg white meringue is the perfect outer shell of your favorite dessert, which can be filled with anything from berries or whipped cream.

You can't beat a dessert served up with the perfect complement of red wine sauce and seasonal plums.

You can enjoy this delicious dessert year-round by substituting fresh plums with frozen ones.

ALSO READ

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Ingredients

Here is a quick overview of what ingredients you will need. Follow the full recipe below for exact amounts and instructions. I recommend making the recipe as written for the best results.

Egg whites: the recipe calls for large eggs. Separate egg whites from egg yolks while the eggs are chilled. Then let egg whites warm up at room temperature for up to one hour.

Granulated sugar: process sugar in a food processor for a few seconds to get superfine sugar. It helps to whisk the meringue.

White wine vinegar: it is added to help to stabilize the whisked egg whites while making the meringue. You can replace it with the same quantity of lemon juice if desired.

Corn starch: it is a necessary ingredient to create a soft marshmallow center, which is a signature of pavlova cake.

Red vine: use your favorite red vine to make the red vine sauce.

Plums: the recipe calls for ripe plums. The fresh fruits have to be ripe but not soft. Replace fresh plums with frozen ones or other fruit, for example, cherries, if desired.

Heavy cream: whisk the cold cream in a chilled metal bowl for the best result. Keep the container in the freezer for a few minutes before you start making the cream.

Dark chocolate: a top-quality 70% dark cocoa chocolate such as Valrhona dark chocolate is preferable in this recipe. Read how to make chocolate shavings.

How to make plum Pavlova

Preheat the oven to 230 degrees F/110 degrees C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and draw a circle 8 inches/20 cm in diameter.

Turn the baking paper over so that the pen/pencil line is facing down.

To make the meringue, use a stand mixer or an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat egg whites and salt at high speed until soft peaks form.

Reduce the speed and add sugar, 1 tablespoon of the sugar at a time. Beat egg whites until the sugar dissolves and stiff peaks form.

Add cornflour, white wine vinegar, and whisk until just combined, about 30 seconds (photo 1).

Use a large metal spoon to scoop the meringue mixture onto the lined baking sheet into the drown circle (photo 2).

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Photo 1: Meringue mixture in a glass bowl Photo 2: Meringue scooped on the parchment paper — **PHOTO 1 PHOTO 2**

Then spread out the meringue with a bent spatula to create a meringue dome (photo 3).

Bring the meringue base to the center of the oven and bake at 230 degrees F/110 degrees C for 20 minutes.

Then reduce the oven temperature to 210 degrees F/100 degrees C and bake for a further 1 hour 15 minutes (photo 4).

Finally, turn off the oven and leave the meringue in the oven, with the door closed, for 3 to 4 hours until cooled completely.

Photo 3: Meringue shaped in a dome Photo 4: Baked meringue shell — **PHOTO 3 PHOTO 4**

To make the red wine sauce, place granulated sugar in a small saucepan and heat until sugar starts to caramelize (do not use a spoon, just swirl the pan over the stove).

Take the saucepan out of the heat, and carefully add warm red wine (use a microwave for 10 seconds). Please, be careful since the mixture might splash.

Then bring the pan to medium heat again and let the caramel dissolve in wine.

Add plum quarters and cook for 5 minutes. Drain plum slices with a colander or use a slotted spoon, but keep the sauce (photo 5).

Bring the red wine sauce over low heat. Let it simmer and cook for 10 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat. Set aside to cool (photo 6).

Photo 5: Drained poached plums in a bowl Photo 6: Red wine sauce in a bowl — **PHOTO 5 PHOTO 6**

To assemble the cake, whip heavy cream. Read on how to make the perfect sugar-free whipped cream.

Place the meringue base on a serving platter or a cake stand. Top with whipped cream and poached plums. Drizzle with the sauce and sprinkle with dark chocolate shavings (photos 7-8). Serve the Pavlova immediately.

Photo 7: Plum Pavlova on a white plate Photo 8: Pavlova on a serving platter: — **PHOTO 7 PHOTO 8**

Recipe variations

A Pavlova's strength lies in the fact that it can be made with so many flavors. A quick Google search finds lots of suggestions for things to serve on top.

Pavlova also tastes great with lemon curd and boozy cherries or fresh berries, red fruits and raspberry sauce, raspberries, peaches, and passion fruit pulp, or a mix of tropical fruits.

Fruit flavor combinations are limited by your imagination, but try different pairings before deciding what you like best. For example, a banana mixed with pumpkin spice or ground star anise would probably be amazing, too.

An alternative to fruit would be crushed chocolate cookies like graham crackers that are broken up.

Sometimes it can be fun to mix all different types of desserts in one dish, like a strawberry mousse, tiny cubes of candied citrus peel, and white chocolate chips.

It is also worth trying chocolate Pavlova dessert with dark chocolate cream and chocolate curls on top.

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Gâteau au Yaourt (French Yogurt Cake)

Expert tips

Make sure that a large bowl is clean and dry before whisking egg whites. Any residual moisture or traces of grease on a mixing bowl prevents egg whites from whisking.
Process granulated sugar in a food processor for a few seconds to obtain superfine sugar. It helps dissolve the sugar easier while making the meringue.
Add sugar one spoon at a time. Whisk for about 10 seconds before adding the next spoon.
Rub the ready meringue between your fingers to ensure that sugar has been incorporated and dissolved.
Do not open the oven door during baking since any moisture in the air can soften the meringues shell.
Turn off the oven (do not open the door) and let the meringue cool completely for three to four hours; better overnight.
To make large chocolate shavings, scrape chocolate with a knife or simply grate a chocolate bar.

Storing and freezing

To store - Pavlova is best enjoyed right after it’s assembled. Leftovers of the dessert should be stored in the refrigerator and are best eaten within 24 hours.

Can you freeze Pavlova? You can not freeze the assembled Pavlova, but you can freeze the meringue base.

First, place the cooled Pavlova meringue on a tray lined with parchment and freeze for 3 hours or longer. Then place it in a freezer-safe bag, press out as much air as possible, seal and label the bag, and freeze for up to 3 months.

To thaw, bring the Pavlova shell to a counter 2 to 3 hours before serving. Cover the meringue shell with a paper towel while defrosting. Then top it with whipped cream and fruit.

Recipe FAQ

Can you make the Pavlova shell in advance?

Yes, you can make the Pavlova meringue in the evening and leave it in the oven overnight. The next morning, the crisp outer shell with the marshmallow-centered middle of the meringue will be ready for assembling.

Can you replace plums with the fruit of your choice?

This Pavlova recipe is created for autumnal fruits - plums. But it perfectly works for cherries, too.

Can you use double cream instead of whipping cream?

Yes, you can replace whipping cream with double cream that has an even higher fat content. It is actually more stable once whipped than whipped cream.

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Recipe card

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.

The recipe was originally published on September 16, 2019. It has been revised to include improved content and photos. All posted pictures are mine.

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Plum Pavlova Recipe

Origin of Pavlova

Why you should try this recipe

Ingredients

How to make plum Pavlova

Recipe variations

Expert tips

Storing and freezing

Recipe FAQ

Love cakes? Try these next!

Need to adjust your baking pan size?

Recipe card