Mini Pavlova
Pavlova is a sweet dessert made from egg whites and sugar. It is served with whipped cream or cream and fruit. The outside of the meringue is crunchy, and its center is soft, chewy, marshmallow-like. Mini Pavlova is a smaller version of Pavlova, which works great as a dessert on a sweet table. The individual mini Pavlova does not require cutting and looks beautiful on the plate.
I start preparing the mini Pavlova dessert by whipping the egg whites with sugar and a pinch of salt. When whipping egg whites, it is very important not to break them, i.e. not to whip them for too long before adding sugar to them. The ideal form of egg whites is a very well foamed, almost stiff form. In order to obtain it, I whisk a little over two minutes. In the next step, I add sugar, just not all at once, but in smaller batches, about a tablespoon every few seconds. The sugar should also not be added continuously, but rather in small intervals. When the egg whites are well whipped, I form small meringues from them, which I bake at a low temperature for less than two hours.
I top up the baked and cooled meringues with cream. They can be filled only with whipped cream or bet on a combination of cream and mascarpone cheese. As Pavlova is very sweet, it should not lack fruit, especially those that have a sour taste. Fruits that are perfect as an addition to Pavlova are raspberries, kiwi, strawberries, passion fruit, blueberries, blackberries. A nice addition is also lemon cream or strawberry coulis. Mini Pavlova is a dessert that is perfect for Valentine’s Day, birthdays or served on a sweet table. I recommend you the following recipe for mini Pavlova and I wish you a tasty meal.
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Ingredients for mini Pavlova.
- 160 ml egg whites (4 big eggs)
- 250 g crystal sugar
- a pinch of salt
- 1,5 teaspoon of potato or corn strach
- 1 teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice
Cream for filling:
- 375 g mascarpone cheese
- 300 ml whipping cream (30 – 36%)
- 3 tablespoons of powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Additionally:
- 150 g raspberries
- 150 g blackberries
- 2 passion fruit
- mint leaves
How to make mini Pavlova.
Put the egg whites with a pinch of salt in a bowl and whisk them to a very well-foamed, almost stiff foam. At this point, start adding the sugar in small batches, while continuously whisking. Whisk for about 8-10 minutes, then add the vinegar, stir in the sifted potato flour with a spoon.
Place baking paper on a baking tray and draw 12 circles on it, each with a diameter of 7 centimetres. Then turn the paper over, lightly grease the baking tray with margarine and put the paper on it. Put the whipped egg whites in a pastry bag fitted with a tip at the end. With efficient movements, squeeze the egg whites mass on the circles drawn on the paper. Leave an indentation in the middle of each one, into which you can later put the cream.
Preheat the oven to 140 degrees Celsius and when hot, insert the tray with meringue. Immediately reduce the temperature to 100 degrees Celsius. Dry the meringues for 1 hour and 50 minutes. Afterwards, turn off the oven and leave the meringues in a closed oven for at least 4 hours – the meringues should cool down completely.
Put the cold heavy cream in a bowl, add the powdered sugar and beat until semi-rigid. At that point, add the cold mascarpone and vanilla, whipping together up to about a minute – the cream should take on a thick consistency. Transfer the finished cream to a pastry bag with a tip at the end and fill each meringue with it. Arrange fresh fruit on the cream and decorate with mint leaves.
Good to know when making mini Pavlova.
The circles drawn on the paper should be spaced apart from each other, not next to each other. During baking, the meringues expand and if they are too close to each other, they can stick together.
The egg whites used to prepare the meringue should be at room temperature. Whipped egg whites must not be pierced, as such whites will collapse during baking and will not have a delicate form. Well whipped egg whites are dense, shiny and white in colour.
I put the egg whites on the paper using a pastry bag with a flower-shaped tip at the end. The end of the tip should be quite large and can be in the shape of an open star, flower or round. I put the empty sleeve with the tip in a tall cup, pull the ends of the sleeve and fill it with egg whites. Whipped egg whites can also be shaped with a spoon or plastic bag. I form the first level of meringue in such a way that the mass covers the entire circle, while when squeezing the second level, I leave the middle empty. You may find photos on my Instagram.
The meringues should be filled with cream only before serving, otherwise they will soften. After baking and cooling, the meringues should be placed in a tightly closed container and kept at room temperature for no longer than two weeks.
Do you like Pavlova cake? If so, try our recipe for Pavlova with lemon curd, whipped cream and fruits.
