Mini Pavlovas Strawberries Cream (Printable version)

Crisp meringue nests filled with whipped cream and fresh strawberries, ideal for spring treats.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Meringue

01 - 4 large egg whites, at room temperature
02 - 1 cup superfine sugar
03 - 1 teaspoon cornstarch
04 - 1 teaspoon white vinegar
05 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Topping

06 - 1 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
07 - 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
08 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Strawberries

09 - 1.5 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
10 - 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
11 - 1 teaspoon lemon juice

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 250°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a clean, dry bowl, beat egg whites with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form.
03 - Gradually add superfine sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff, glossy peaks form and sugar is fully dissolved.
04 - Gently fold in cornstarch, vinegar, and vanilla extract using a spatula until just combined.
05 - Spoon or pipe meringue into 6 small nests on the baking sheet, creating an indentation in the center of each.
06 - Bake for 1 hour, then turn off the oven and let meringues cool completely inside with the door slightly ajar.
07 - While meringues cool, toss sliced strawberries with sugar and lemon juice. Let macerate for 15 minutes.
08 - Whip cold cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until soft peaks form.
09 - Place each cooled meringue on a serving plate. Fill the center with whipped cream and top with macerated strawberries.
10 - Serve right away to maintain optimal texture and prevent meringue from softening.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The contrast between shattered-crisp meringue and soft, pillowy cream is genuinely addictive, almost like eating clouds that actually taste good.
  • You'll look like a pastry chef without spending hours in the kitchen, which means impressing people on a Tuesday feels completely reasonable.
  • Fresh strawberries taste even brighter when they're perched on something this elegant, making a simple fruit feel like a celebration.
02 -
  • Never, ever skip letting the meringues cool in the oven with the door ajar—rushing this step causes cracks, and while they still taste fine, the presentation suffers, and you'll know it.
  • If your kitchen is humid on the day you're making these, the meringues may soften slightly because they absorb moisture from the air, so store them in an airtight container with a few grains of uncooked rice (which absorbs humidity) if you're making them ahead.
  • The pavlovas taste best assembled just before serving; preassembling them even 15 minutes early means the cream soaks into the meringue and the meringue loses its signature crispness.
03 -
  • If you want to get fancy without much extra work, drizzle a tiny bit of passion fruit pulp or a berry coulis around the plate—it looks restaurant-quality and takes 30 seconds, plus the tartness plays beautifully against the sweet meringue.
  • You can absolutely swap strawberries for raspberries, blackberries, or a mixed berry situation; just keep the maceration time and sugar amount the same and adjust based on how juicy your berries are.
  • If you're nervous about piping, a simple spoon-shaped nest looks just as charming and tastes identical—rusticity is your friend here.
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