This lovely heart-shaped pavlova uses the same recipe as my ever-popular tall, fluted tutu pavlova, but I drew a freehand heart on the parchment and swooped the meringue into the shape. I baked it for about the same amount of time, but it doesn’t need quite as long to dry after you shut off the oven since it’s a much thinner layer of meringue.
Then I added lemon curd come the toppings. My friends at Mr. P’s Place Cards sent me a jar of their wonderful Hudson Valley lemon curd, it’s a quick and delicious topping if you’re not in the mood to make homemade lemon curd (is that a thing?!) or if you’ve just run out of time! Finish it with whipped cream and berries. It’s a pretty quick and easy dessert, but is full of romance!
Servings: 8
Equipment
Ingredients
- 150 g egg whites ~ about 5 large egg whites at room temperature
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- 1/8 tsp cream of tartar optional. It will make the meringue stronger, especially if you have older, weaker egg whites
- 3 tbsp cold water
- 1 1/4 cups (250g) superfine sugar how to make superfine sugar
- 1 tbsp plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp vinegar white wine, cider or distilled
- Edible dried rose petals optional
For Serving
- 1 recipe Perfect Whipped Cream
- 1 cup Lemon Curd divided
- Fresh Raspberries and / or Passion Fruit for filling and topping. I love Rincon Tropics passion fruit
- Confectioners' sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 275°F / 135℃ and place a rack in the bottom 1/3 of the oven. Trace a 10-inch wide and 10-inch tall heart shape on a piece of parchment and set it, upside down, on a baking sheet.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the egg whites, salt and cream of tartar (if using) and beat on medium-high speed until medium stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes.
- Turn the mixer speed to medium-low and drizzle in the water. Slowly sprinkle in the sugar a little at a time; this may take a minute or so. Turn the speed to high and whip until very stiff, glossy peaks form, about 5 minutes.
- Using the whisk attachment or a rubber spatula, gently fold the cornstarch, vanilla, and vinegar into the egg whites.
- Mound the egg foam into the heart shape on the prepared parchment paper. Using a metal spatula, smooth the mound, then swipe grooves into the foam, creating curls at the top. Very gently create a crater at the top, like a volcano, where the grooves meet. Optional: I sprinkled edible dried rose petals from SOS Chefs on the meringue before baking.
- Bake for 60 minutes or until the meringue starts to turn a very pale tan color, then reduce the heat to 250°F and continue to bake for 45 minutes. Turn off the oven (don't open the door), turn on the light in the oven (don't stress if the light doesn't work) and let the meringue sit in the cooling oven for at least an hour, but it can be stored like this overnight or even up to 24 hours.
- The center of the pavlova will collapse, that's just the nature of the beast and where you will put your filling. If it does't fall into the cavity completely, use a paring knife to carefully open up a hole in the top. The outer edge may crack a touch too, but I've made this shape several times and it generally only cracks a little if you do not open the oven door. The inside should be soft, but not at all wet.
- Run a metal spatula under the pavlova to release it from the paper and carefully transfer to a serving plate.
- Fold half of the whipped cream into 1/2 cup / 130g of the lemon curd. Fit a pastry bag with a large round tip and fill with the cream-curd mixture. Alternatively, carefully spoon in the mixture. Spoon 1/4 cup / 65g of the remaining lemon curd over it, then sprinkle with some of the berries. Repeat with the remaining cream-curd mixture and then the remaining lemon curd. Finish with the remaining berries and whipped cream and then dust with confectioners' sugar.
- Refrigerate the pavlova for about 1 hour before serving to make it easier to cut.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
