I baked this small pavlova recently for my dad’s birthday.
It’s a recipe that I’ve blogged about before, but it’s so reliable and so delicious that I thought it warranted another post. It’s a very old recipe, from Maureen Simpson’s now out of print Australian Cuisine. And unlike many of the newer recipes, it always produces a cracked shell – which doesn’t bother me in the least, because there’s always a thick layer of cream and fruit on the top to cover up any flaws.
The four egg whites I used had been in the fridge overnight, and we topped the pavlova with strawberries, mango and kiwi fruit. These quantities will comfortably feed six for dessert.
- 4 free range egg whites
- good pinch salt
- 1 heaped cup (220g) castor sugar
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 level tablespoon (4 teaspoons) cornflour (cornstarch)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- whipped cream and fruit
1. Preheat the oven to 200C (400F) with fan. Line a baking tray with greased parchment paper, dust with cornflour and tap away the excess.
2. Beat the egg whites and salt until stiff, then add the sugar one large spoonful at a time until fully incorporated. The meringue should be thick and shiny. Gently stir in the vinegar, sifted cornflour and vanilla.
3. Using a bowl or cake tin, mark an 18cm (7″) circle in the cornflour. Pile the meringue evenly into the circle, and smooth the top gently. The mixture should sit about 6cm (2½”) high.
4. Turn the oven down to 110C (230F) with fan. Place the pavlova in the oven, and bake for 1¼ hours. Allow the pavlova to cool in the oven, with the door slightly ajar.
5. Carefully transfer the cooled pavlova to a serving dish (I find it’s quite sturdy once cooled). Less than an hour before serving, top with whipped cream and decoratively arranged seasonal fruits.
This is not a recipe for a smooth, “perfect” dessert – the finished result is always a little rustic. It is, however, the most delicious pavlova any of us have ever eaten – not overly sweet, with a thick marshmallowy centre. If you’d like to see construction photos, please have a look at our original post here.
This is a very easy dessert to make – I’ve baked it more than a dozen times, without a single failure. It’s especially comforting to know that even if the top cracks and sinks, the finished pavlova will still be fantastic!
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
I am in Hong Kong waiting to get on the plane for the final leg of my flight home. Now you have made me want to be there sooner, so I can rustle up one of these….I love pavlova!
Debra, it will be lovely to have you back in Australia! Can’t wait to see how your pineapple is going this year! :)
WOW, Celia, what a fantastic pavlova and Happy Birthday to your dad.
:-) Mandy
Thanks Mandy! I think he enjoyed himself! :)
Thanks for doing this again, Celia! I have come to love pavlova!
Going to make this soon!
Heidi, we love it too, especially my mum! :)
Happy Birthday to your Dad, dear Celia. This cake seems so delicious I can eat all of them. I noted, I want to try. Thank you, love, nia
Thanks Nia! I hope you get a chance to make this – it’s delicious!
I used to make little mini pavs using the same fruits … many years ago. They were totally delish. Yum. Fond memories!
Misky, they sound delicious! Love the idea of individual pavs! :)
Hi Celia
Happy birthday to your dad. Great looking pav!
Thanks Glenda! x
Happy Bday to Celia’s Daddy! I bet he opens a huge smile when he sees his treat!
I’ve never made pavlova, and believe it or not, only had it once in my life… yeap. Lots of stuff wrong with Sally….
Sally, you’d probably love pavlova! Come over to visit us in Australia, and I’ll bake you one! :)
What a gorgeous and cheerful cake. You Dad must have been so delighted and so proud of his daughter.
Norma, that’s very kind of you to say that, thank you! :)
That looks like a tasty dessert. And pretty, too. I’ll have to try it. Maybe that’s a good way to use up some of my extra eggs! (Besides making lots of noodles!). Thanks for the post! Would canned fruit work as well?
Manuela, I think back in the “old” days, tinned peaches were de rigeur! :) Or maybe that was in a trifle? Either way, I think tinned fruit would be fine – we’ve used defrosted berries before!
Your pavlova always looks perfect, Celia. I bet the super fresh eggs contribute to the end result.
Lizzy, thank you! I’m really not sure if we’re supposed to use fresh or slightly older eggs for pavlova – mine are never really that old though, and the pavlova always works! :)
DROOL. yes I am. pavlova is an all time favourite, so I NEED to bookmark your recipe. thank you!!
Claire, I hope you like it! Apparently it won’t work if it’s too humid, as the meringue gets a bit sticky..
Happy Late Birthday Celia’s Dad!
I’ve never made one of these and don’t think I’ve ever eaten one either – but if I did I would want it to look like this xx
You’ve never eaten a pavlova? They’re so common here I forget that they’re quite an unusual dessert in other parts of the world! Thanks for the birthday wishes for dad too! x
Beautiful dish! Pavlova seems so exotic here in the states…but it is sooo good.
That’s interesting – as I was saying to Jo above, they’re a common dessert here – if you eat at any buffet restaurant, there’s almost always a pav on the sweets table! :)
This looks excellent – I didn’t realise pavlovas should be so deep!
Happy birthday to your Dad, Celia!
Thanks Suelle! I guess they’re different all over the world, but here they tend to have a deep marshmallow centre. My mum loves the centre the most – if I make a big enough pav, I cut the middle out just for her. :)
I absolutely love pavlova! I think the cracked top is a must for authenticity. A perfect pavlova just doesn’t have the same rustic charm.
Claire, thank you for saying that – Pete says the same thing! Pavlovas should be cracked! :)
I’m going to try this. I have always made my pavlovas with egg whites and sugar and nothing else and it’s always worked for me but it IS getting warmer and I’d think I’ll need something a bit more stable. I hope your dad loved the cake because I certainly do!
Maureen, do you get the marshmallowy middle without the cornflour and vinegar? I’ve actually never tried a different recipe – I’ve been using this one for nearly 20 years! :)
I love rustic desserts! I love the look of the crust. I’m sure Donna Hay would get out her spoon, give it a tap and give you the thumbs up. Did you see her do that to the Master Chef contestants? It was hysterical. I think the old pavlova recipes (the ones out of print) are the best. And now that I have followed your orders and got myself entangled in twitter and instagram, will you be joining me on pinterest and facebook????????????
Darling, not going to happen – there’s only so much social media I can manage! :) I don’t watch Masterchef, but I would have liked to have seen that! :)
my recipe is very much the same but I don’t mind the wee dent as i have just discovered how to make chocolate mousse.. woo hoo! excellent. c
We are on the same wavelength Celi! You make pav like I do, and I make chocolate mousse like you do! :)
https://figjamandlimecordial.com/2011/02/08/extremely-simple-chocolate-mousse/
I probably shouldn’t have read this right now – I’m starving and this looks divine. The vegemite sandwich I had planned for lunch is looking a little ordinary right now.
A vegemite sandwich? Are you detoxing after the big weekend? :D
I’m only a relatively recent convert to pavlova… lucky for me I get to make up for lost time!
Brydie, how lovely to be discovering pavlova! :)
What a beautiful and no doubt tasty birthday treat.
Thanks Greg! It was all gone by the end of the night! :)
Wow, this pavelova really looks great, love the rustic look! It’s been 11 years since I last ate a pavlova! I didn’t quite like it as it was very sweet and probably came from woolies. Have to try this out though, especially given my recent obsession with lemon meringue tart. Probably need some help from honey to make it though.
Soy, you’d love this! Get Honey to make one for you! :D
This looks so festive, Celia, and a fitting dessert to present to your Dad on his special day. Wishing him a belated happy birthday. Cent’ anni!
Thank you for your kind wishes, John! It was a nice night! :)
This is exactly the way I’d want my pavlova to look.. it wouldn’t be the same without the cracks! They shout out.. “Pavlova” for me:) This is excellent, I love to have a fool-proof recipe for this dessert.. it’s the perfection celebration dessert.. your dad must have been thrilled! Happy Birthday!!
Barb, thank you! The cracks are essential – Pete insists that when he was growing up, if the pavlova top wasn’t cracked, his maternal grandmother used to squash it down with a flat plate! :)
I agree!
Perfect ratios Celia. A good pavvy has a nice hard crust with a marshmallow middle. This is one of my ultimate favourite desserts in the universe! Yummo!
Thanks Becca! Have you figured out a lactose-free topping though?
Sadly no Celia, but I take my little Lactese tablets and suffer the consequences. It’s worth it! Can’t do the same thing with gluten though, sigh…..
Nice pav! My go-to quick dessert – although I have to say this towering version looks amazing – will use your recipe next time.
Sally, it’s interesting you say that – I assumed all pavs were about the same height? Although over here, sometimes the bought versions get to that height by sheer whipped cream alone. :)
What a delicious pavlova Celia – I love pavlova with a soft marshmallow centre. I’ve known Maureen for many years and her recipes are always wonderfully reliable.
Christine, if you’re speaking to Maureen again, please thank her for her wonderful recipe and cookbook – I’ve used it for years and absolutely love it. And you’re right, her recipes always work! :)
Beautiful looking birthday ‘cake’! The outside looks deliciously crunchy to go with the melting soft inside and cream. I like the way you use big pieces of fruit.
Liz, thank you – we use big pieces of fruit probably because we’re lazy! :) It wasn’t a huge pav either, although plenty for six of us!
March 29th. Do you deliver?
Sure, poppet. (Ha! I wonder how long it’s been since someone called you “poppet”, Cosmo? :))
Quite a while. I was called ‘Kiddo’ today, which was a first.
happy birthday to your dad and congratulations to you my dear celia! you inspired me of giving it a try, since i ‘ve always found it ‘not a piece of cake’ on making it! :-)
Gina, I hope you can make it worth, it’s a great dessert! Thank you for your kind wishes! :)
Waw, Your dad’ Birthday pavlova looks just spectacular, dear Celia! :) Waw!!!
MMMMM,…too!
Thanks Sophie! Gluten-free too! :D
That is so beautiful it looks like an edible gem. I love Pavlova and find it difficult to be polite around one!
Jan, if you were here, you could arm wrestle my mum for it – it’s her Kryptonite, she can’t resist it either! :D
That looks absolutely delicious! I love making small individual sized pavolvas, then people can dress their own!
Sounds like a great idea! :)
What a lucky Dad you have :) I agree re the rustic – pav doesn’t look or taste right unless it’s cooked until the crust is cracked, and your topping is perfect…. mmmm.
Thanks ED! We couldn’t find any passionfruit, although that’s a usual topping as well!
Hi Celia, your pav looks beautiful. Love the center. Every time I make them, they go in the oven nice and high but yet always come out flat. Do you have any suggestions on what to do? Thanks!
Emilie, do you add the cornflour and vinegar in your recipe? Lots of recipes for pavlova are just egg and sugar, like giant meringues – I think perhaps the cornflour is necessary for the marshmallow centre?
Hi Celia,
I just read over my recipe and although it does include cornflour and vinegar, mine has 2 tsp. of vinegar, 4 tsp. of cornflour, 8 egg whites, and almost double the sugar! I’m thinking that maybe I do not beat the egg whites stiff enough? Either way, I like your recipe better as it has half the amount of sugar and it looks gorgeous. I’m motivated again. Thanks Celia :)
Emilie, the pavlova really isn’t too sweet, which we really like about it. If you have a look at my first post, I have different size variations, and some photos which might be of use..
https://figjamandlimecordial.com/2010/05/12/pavlova/
Thanks Celia! The link was very helpful and I’m going to give it a go :)
Birthday blessings :)
Thanks Tandy! :)
I’m sure you Dad was thrilled. The pavlova certainly does look delicious. Who cares about some cracks…it is all about taste as far as I’m concerned.
Karen, he was, thank you! My Pete goes further than that – as far as he’s concerned, if it’s not cracked, we should crack it or the topping won’t sit properly on top! :D
That is nice to know. Your Pete is too funny wanting to crack it but maybe he knows best.
I love pavlova. A stunning and showy cake. I am sure your Dad loves it especially when it is made with love from you.
Thank you! He was pleased, which made me very happy! :)
Outside of the lemon merengue pie the pavlova rates very high on my desert list. I find it to be so elegant….