PAVLOVA WREATH
Pavlovas are beloved during Christmas time because their light, airy meringue base topped with fresh, vibrant fruits perfectly balances the rich and often heavy festive meals, offering a refreshing and elegant finish. The crisp shell and marshmallow like centre are a crowd pleaser, evoking a sense of celebration and indulgence without feeling overly sweet or dense. Turning a pavlova into a wreath takes this classic dessert up a notch by transforming it into a festive centrepiece that’s as visually stunning as it is delicious. The circular shape, adorned with colourful berries, cherries, and sprigs of mint, mimics the traditional Christmas wreath, bringing a joyful and playful vibe to the table that instantly lifts the holiday spirit.
I have always stood by a solid one circular pavlova, but I think a wreath is actually easier to put together and is easier to cut up and serve. You can essentially choose how many round you would like for the amount of guests you have, and the result of my recipe is a beautiful hard shell and a marshmallow centre. I have chosen moody coloured fruits like black berries and cherries to create a more subdued colour palette, but feel free to put on the fruit that makes you happy.
PAVLOVA WREATH
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PAVLOVA WREATH 〰️
Time: 1 hour 40 minutes + overnight
Serves: 8
Meringue Wreath
250gm egg whites at room temperature (8-7 eggs)
Pinch salt
500gm caster sugar
20gm cornflour
1 tea sp white vinegar
Preheat oven to 140 degrees Celsius fan forced.
Prep the baking paper by drawing 8 circles around a something medium round, even a mug will work here. Start by drawing a circle at the 12 o’clock, then 6 o’clock, then 3 o’clock and then 9 o’clock point. Fill the gaps in between with a circle each, so you end up with a wreath stencil for 8 spots to plonk the meringue. Turn the baking paper over so the stencil is touching the tray side. Pop to the side until ready to place meringue down.
In a clean and dry electric mixer bowl add in egg whites and pinch of salt. Whisk in stand mixer on medium until ribbons form on the surface. Add in caster sugar one spoonful at a time until it's all added in.Increase mixer speed to high and whisk on high for 8-10 minutes, then turn off mixer. You want to be able to rub the meringue in your fingers and it not be grainy, if it is grainy keep mixing for a couple more minutes.
Grab the stencil lined baking tray and dot the corners in between paper and tray with meringue to help keep the baking paper down in a fan forced oven. Now using a wooden spoon, scoop a solid mound of meringue and place into the middle of the circle stencil, pushing of the wooden spoon with a kitchen spoon. Repeat this process all around until the wreath is complete, adding more on top of what’s leftover of the meringue.
Place into oven and immediately turn the temperature down 100 degrees Celsius and bake for 70 minutes. Turn off oven and allow pavlova to cook in the oven as the temperature drops and let sit in there (door closed) for 6 hours or overnight to form thick crust.
Chantilly Cream
300gm thickened cream, cold
250gm mascarpone, cold
30gm icing sugar
1 table spoon vanilla essence
Place thickened cream, mascarpone, icing sugar and vanilla essence into a large bowl and using an electric whisker, whisk until stiff peaks form. Don’t over whisk of the cream will seperate, just enough so that it holds its shape when pulled the whisk is pulled out. Place in fridge until ready to serve, but better to make when ready to put the pavlova together.
The Build
125gm black berries, halved
10 cherries, pitted & halved
20 mini/small mint leaves, washed
To remove the meringue from the lined tray, using a very thin flat utensil to scrape the bottom underneath carefully, making sure the meringue all around has been separated from the baking paper. Using a spatula and bench scraper, lift the meringue from the bottom and place onto large serving plate. Top with Chantilly cream around the wreath and then with blackberries, cherries and mint leaves. To serve cut out each mound of pavlova, cutting at the intersection of the wreath mounds.