The Pavlova That Breaks All The Rules And Still Wins
If you’ve been searching for a truly foolproof dessert, this Easiest Pavlova is the one. No slow sugar adding, no room-temp egg rituals, no chef-level precision – just a crisp, crackly shell with a marshmallow-soft middle every single time.
I used to make pavlova the traditional way – adding sugar painfully slowly, worrying about egg temperatures, doing everything “by the book.” Eventually I got sick of the fuss and decided to just dump everything in and see what happened. And guess what? It worked.
Not only did it work, it made the fluffiest, crisp-on-the-outside, marshmallow-in-the-middle pavlova I’d ever baked. Since then, this easy method is the only one I use. No stress, no rituals, just perfect pavlova every time.
Why You’ll Love This Pavlova
- No slow sugar adding – everything goes in at once
- Works with cold egg whites (yes, really)
- Stand mixer does all the hard work
- Crisp shell + marshmallow centre every time
- Cheap, impressive and perfect for making ahead
- Way better than store-bought pavs
The Cheat’s Method
Instead of adding sugar spoonful by spoonful, we whip the egg whites to soft peaks, add the sugar in one go and beat until glossy and smooth. Vinegar + cornflour help stabilise everything so you get that classic pavlova texture without the stress.
It’s totally adaptable too, use the formula 1 egg white = ¼ cup caster sugar if you need to scale the recipe based on what’s in your fridge.
Expert Tips for Pavlova Success
- Use large eggs — at least 59g and at least 5-7 days old
- No yolk. Not even a dot. Use an eggshell to scoop it out if needed.
- Clean bowl + whisk — any grease will ruin the party.
- Beat until smooth — rub the mixture between your fingers; if it’s grainy, keep beating.
- Don’t over-shape — plonk, swirl, smooth, done.
- Bake it low + slow until crisp and dry on the outside.
- Cool in the oven with the door slightly ajar for best results.
Can I Make The Pavlova In Advance?
This pavlova is made for prepping ahead. Store the baked shell in an airtight container for up to a day, or leave it in a cold oven with a note so no one turns it on. Top with cream and fruit right before serving so it stays crisp.
Serving Ideas
Classic whipped cream is a must, and from there you can go wild — berries, passionfruit, kiwi, mango, toasted coconut, pistachios, chocolate shavings or even edible flowers. This pavlova is a blank canvas for whatever’s in season.
More Desserts To Devour:
Easiest Pavlova
Ingredients
- 6 large egg whites
- 1 ½ cups caster sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornflour
- 2 teaspoon white vinegar
To Serve
- 300ml tub thickened cream
- 2 tablespoons icing sugar mixture
- 2 bananas, peeled and sliced
- 2 passionfruit, pulped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 150℃ (130℃ fan forced). Line a baking tray with baking paper. Using a lead pencil, draw a 20cm round circle then flip the paper over, pencil side down.
- Place egg whites into a clean bowl of a stand mixer. Whip using the wire whisk attachment on medium speed (I used Speed 6) for about 1 minute or until soft peaks form.
- Add all the caster sugar at once then beat for 12-15 minutes on Medium-High Speed (I used speed 8 on my KitchenAid) or until the mixture is smooth and super glossy. To test if its ready, grab a little of the mixture between 2 fingers and rub together. If it feels 'grainy' at all, continue beating until you can't feel any of the sugar. It needs to be fully dissolved.
- Once mixture is smooth with no grainy granules, sprinkle over the cornflour and vinegar. Continue beating on medium speed for around 20-30 seconds.
- Spoon mixture onto baking tray within the circle you drew. Using a spatula or spoon, make a neat circle of mixture and smooth the top and sides creating a little crater in the top surface.
- Place into preheated oven. Reduce oven temperature to 130℃ (110℃ fan forced) and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes. Turn oven off and leave to cool completely in the oven with the door closed.
To Serve
- Before serving, beat cream and icing sugar in a bowl until thickened. Spoon over the top of the cooled pavlova and top with bananas and passionfruit. (or fruit of your choice). Cut into wedges to serve.
Notes
- COOKS NOTES:
Oven Temps: Oven temperatures are for conventional, if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C.
Measurements: We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon = 5 ml, 1 tablespoon = 20 ml & 1 cup = 250 ml.
Herbs: All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed.
Vegetables: All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified.
Eggs: We use extra-large size and eggs are 55-60 g each, unless specified - FRUIT TOPPINGS
You can use any fresh fruit here that you like. In summer, berries are perfect for this – raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, mulberries etc – you can use just one or a combination of any of them. Other fruits to consider are: kiwifruit, star fruit or mangoes when in season.
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