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A beautiful pavlova with lemon curd and berries makes an elegant dessert and is so much easier than it looks. It’s a great party trick for summer or anytime.
Why we love this recipe
A pillowy white pavlova with tangy lemon curd and mixed berries makes a real summertime showstopper. This recipe has it all:
- Light and airy meringue that’s crisp outside and chewy inside (if you like)
- Bright, tangy, creamy lemon curd
- Gorgeous summer berries kissed with a touch of sugar and balsamic
- Lightly sweetened fresh whipped cream, if you choose
- Plus, you can make one big pavlova to share or individual servings, as pictured here
I first published this recipe back in 2017. I’ve since updated the post for clarity and tweaked the recipe itself a tiny bit.
What you’ll need
Here’s a glance at the ingredients you’ll need to make this recipe.
For the meringue
- You’ll start with room-temperature egg whites. Don’t use them straight out of the fridge, or they won’t whip up as voluminously. (The yolks get used to make the lemon curd.)
- You’ll use a tiny bit of cream of tartar to help stabilize the egg whites. This fine white powder is a byproduct of winemaking.
- A little bit of vinegar also helps strengthen the egg white’s proteins. You can use white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or distilled white vinegar.
- Superfine sugar dissolves into the mixture and yields a shinier, smoother final result than regular granulated sugar. If you don’t have any (and I usually don’t), you can blitz granulated sugar in the food processor for 30 seconds or so, until it’s much finer.
- Cornstarch helps absorb any extra moisture and prevent the meringue from weeping, especially if you don’t plan to use it immediately.
For the lemon curd
- A combination of whole eggs and egg yolks gives the curd a creamy, versatile structure that spreads well and also holds its own in a tart or as a cake filling. It also contributes a nice dose of protein.
- A mix of freshly squeezed lemon juice and lime juice creates a nuanced, vibrant citrus flavor profile that still tastes just like lemon.
- A microplane rasp makes the perfect, finely grated lemon zest. Zesting directly over the bowl lets the citrus oils settle right back into the mixture, contributing tons of great flavor.
- You can use salted or unsalted butter. I use salted Kerrygold for the excellent flavor.
To make the fruit layer
- This part of the recipe is super-flexible, but roughly equal quantities of blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and quartered strawberries make a vibrant, summery mix.
- All you need to enhance the berries’ natural goodness is a tiny bit each of sugar and balsamic vinegar.
- If you’d like to make a whipped cream layer, you’ll also need heavy cream (plus a little more sugar and vanilla extract).
How to make it
Here’s an overview of what you’ll do to make a beautiful pavlova with lemon curd and berries. This section focuses on making the meringue — you can watch the lemon curd process in the post linked below. You can see the steps in action in the video that accompanies this post, and get all the details in the recipe card below.
- Separate the eggs. Save the yolks for the lemon curd. Place the whites into the bowl of a stand mixer.
- First you’ll whisk the whites with just the salt and cream of tartar. Then you’ll spoon in the sugar little by little. Whip for five minutes, until thick and glossy. Fold in the cornstarch, vinegar, and vanilla.
- Spread the meringue onto a parchment-lined baking sheet — you can make one large one or multiple minis. Here I’ve made six individual servings. I like the easy, rustic vibe of a spooned meringue, but if you’d like to make it fancier, you can pipe your meringues or use an offset spatula to create more consistent shapes.
- Bake low and slow according to the directions in the recipe card below. Once cooled, layer on the lemon curd, berries, and whipped cream. That’s it!
Expert tips and FAQs
Where do pavlovas come from?
Both Australia and New Zealand claim credit for the origins of this classic dessert, named for the ballerina Anna Pavlova after she toured that region in the 1920s. It’s light and airy and elegant like her, the story goes. And if you ask me, it looks like the perfect nod to the dress in Swan Lake.
Can I make this recipe in advance? What about leftovers?
You can make the lemon curd up to a week in advance and store in an airtight container in the fridge. Depending on the heat and humidity level in your kitchen, it’s typically okay to make the meringues up to a week in advance, too. Once completely cooled, store at room temperature in an airtight container between layers of parchment.
I like to prep the berries an hour or so before serving and make the whipped cream as close to serving time as possible.
More favorite summer fruit desserts
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Pavlova with Lemon Curd and Berries
A beautiful pavlova with lemon curd and berries makes an elegant dessert and is so much easier than it looks. It's a great party trick for summer or anytime. Makes 1 9-inch pavlova to share, or 6 individual 5-inch ones.
Ingredients
For the meringue
- 4 large egg whites, at room temperature
- ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup (210 grams) superfine sugar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) white wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
For the lemon curd layer
For the berry topping
- 1 cup fresh raspberries
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 1 cup fresh blackberries
- 1 cup sliced or quartered fresh strawberries
- 1 teaspoon (4 grams) sugar
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) balsamic vinegar
For the whipped cream (optional)
- 2 cups (475 ml) heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons (25 grams) sugar
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the meringue
- Preheat oven to 200°F with a rack in the center.
- Draw a 9-inch circle or six 5-inch circles on one side of a piece of parchment. (You can trace a plate or cake pan for a large circle or an overturned bowl for small ones.) Flip over the parchment and use it to line a half-sheet pan.
- Place the egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk, or into a large bowl if using electric beaters. Whip on medium-high for about three minutes, until stiff peaks form. (If you lift the beaters or a spoon out of the egg whites, the tips of the peaks that form should stand up without falling over.)
- With the mixer running, add sugar a tablespoon at a time.
- Turn machine up to high and beat for five minutes, until you have a big, glossy bowl of what looks like marshmallow fluff.
- Sprinkle in cornstarch, vinegar, and vanilla, and fold in gently but thoroughly with a spatula.
- Spoon the mixture into one or more circles on the parchment, using the guide(s) you created. You can give them whatever kind of shape and texture you like simply by using your spoon. I like to leave them fairly rustic and create a divot in the center where the filling will go, but you can get as fancy as you like.
- Bake until dry and crisp outside (or dry all the way through if you prefer), at least 90 minutes, depending on size and preference.
- Turn off the oven and let meringue cool completely in the oven to prevent cracking. You can prop the door ajar with a wooden spoon to speed this process if you like.
Make the lemon curd
- While the meringue bakes, make the lemon curd according to the instructions here.
Prep the berries
- About an hour before serving, place berries into a large mixing bowl.
- Sprinkle with the sugar and balsamic and stir gently but thoroughly.
- Leave to macerate until serving time.
Make the whipped cream
- Combine the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whip, or in a large mixing bowl if using electric beaters.
- Starting on medium-low and increasing the speed to high as the cream thickens enough not to splatter, whip just until cream holds its shape when dolloped.
- To serve
- Right before serving, slide large meringue onto a cake plate or small meringues onto individual serving plates.
- Dollop the center(s) with the lemon curd and spread a bit, leaving plenty of the meringue exposed.
- Dollop the whipped cream overtop and spread over the lemon curd, leaving some of the curd exposed.
- Heap the center(s) with the berry mixture.
- If sharing one large pavlova, cut into wedges to serve.
Notes
- You'll start with room-temperature egg whites. Don't use them straight out of the fridge, or they won't whip up as voluminously. (The yolks get used to make the lemon curd.)
- You'll use a tiny bit of cream of tartar to help stabilize the egg whites. This fine white powder is a byproduct of winemaking.
- A little bit of vinegar also helps strengthen the egg white's proteins. You can use white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or distilled white vinegar.
- Superfine sugar dissolves into the mixture and yields a shinier, smoother final result than regular granulated sugar. If you don't have any (and I usually don't), you can blitz granulated sugar in the food processor for 30 seconds or so, until it's much finer.
- Cornstarch helps absorb any extra moisture and prevent the meringue from weeping, especially if you don't plan to use it immediately.
- You can make the lemon curd up to a week in advance and store in an airtight container in the fridge. Depending on the heat and humidity level in your kitchen, it's typically okay to make the meringues up to a week in advance, too. Once completely cooled, store at room temperature in an airtight container between layers of parchment.
- I like to prep the berries an hour or so before serving and make the whipped cream as close to serving time as possible.
Nutrition
Calories: 377kcal, Carbohydrates: 41.8g, Protein: 4.2g, Fat: 22.4g, Fiber: 1.9g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried this recipe?Mention @umamigirl or tag #umamigirl!
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