Pavlova Wreath
With endless topping possibilities, a pavlova wreath is the perfect dessert for the holidays. It’s super light, crispy on the outside and marshmallowy on the inside. It also only takes a few ingredients to whip up this airy, show stopping dessert. A pavlova this size can feed a large crowd as you only need a small portion to hit the spot. The toppings I went with here are sugared cranberries and pistachios for a festive feel and the combination of sweet meringue paired with the salty nuts and tart cranberries is perfection!
Pavlova ingredients:
- 6 egg whites, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tbsp vanilla
Sugared cranberries ingredients:
- 1/2 cup cranberries
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup + 5 tbsp granulated sugar
Garnish:
- 1 1/4 cup whipping cream
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup pistachios, shelled and finely chopped
- Sugared cranberries
Directions:
- For the sugared cranberries, boil 1/2 cup water with 1/2 cup sugar until all the sugar is dissolved. Set the syrup aside and let cool. Place the cranberries in a bowl and pour the syrup over the cranberries, given them a quick stir to make sure they’re covered in the liquid. Let soak for approx. 1 hour and drain. Add 5 tbsp of sugar (or more if needed) on a plate and place the cranberries in the sugar. Roll the cranberries in the sugar until coated. Let dry for at least. 20 min.
- For the pavlova, heat oven to 250°F. On a sheet of parchment paper, draw a 9 inch circle and flip it over to the other side to use as a guide when placing the meringue on the baking pan.
- Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Slowly add in sugar and mix until shiny. Add lemon juice and vanilla. Add in sifted cornstarch and mix together another minute.
- Spread the meringue onto the prepared baking pan. Bake for 1.5 hours. Let cool.
- For the whipped cream, add cream and sugar to a large mixing bowl, whip on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 1 minute.
- Once cooled, spread whipped cream over top of the meringue and decorate with sugared cranberries and chopped pistachios.
Have fun mixing up the toppings. You could also do orange slices and rosemary or in keeping with the festive look, try pomegranates and some sprigs of mint.
