Raspberry Pavlova with white chocolate whipped cream is a light, sweet and stunning springtime dessert with whipped meringue, raspberry puree, chocolate and almonds.
Pavlova is such a treat to make. It is always an impressive homemade dessert to share with friends and family. And something about the warming weather this time of year calls for more light, fruity and airy desserts.
This light-as-a-cloud white chocolate Raspberry Pavlova is perfectly crisp on the outside and creamy on the inside. It’s easy to make and a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, complete with homemade whipped cream and fresh berries.
How to Make Pavlova
The goal when making a homemade pavlova is a crunchy outside with a marshmallowy center.
There are a few helpful tricks to achieve this ideal texture:
- Make sure your eggs are at room temperature. Otherwise, you risk your meringue deflating after you remove it from the oven. Or the center may not bake all the way through and you’ll have a sticky, gooey center without a nice structure.
- When whisking your egg whites to stiff peaks, mix longer than you think you need to. It’s better to overmix egg whites for pavlova than to underbeat them! Make sure you scrape the egg whites on the bottom of the bowl up to the top every now and then.
Note that cracking is normal on the outer edges of a pavlova. The pavlova itself should be structurally sound so it can support the toppings without sinking or crumbling underneath.
Tip: The most important thing is to not open the oven door during baking. Any change in temperature could deflate your meringue.
White Chocolate Whipped Cream
The sweet and airy whipped cream on top of this raspberry pavlova is one of the best parts of the dish! And it’s so easy to make.
First, make a simple white chocolate ganache. Then, be sure to let it cool to room temperature before adding in the whipped cream. Too warm and it will melt your whipped cream, too cold and it will not blend with your whipped cream.
Making Raspberry Puree
The sweet and fruity berry puree on the pavola is a great straightforward recipe that you can return to for other desserts too.
You want a thick but liquid purée that’s less firm than jam. If your raspberries are slow to release their juices as you begin to heat them, you can add 1 tablespoon of water to the pan.
I chose to strain the seeds out of the raspberry puree. This is optional but worth the step. A few seeds will sneak through which is fine. You just don’t want a whole biteful of seeds getting in your teeth.
Tip: If your fresh raspberries are not as ripe and juicy as you’d like, mix some of the raspberry puree with the fresh raspberries to sweet them up.
Assembling a Raspberry Pavlova
Before serving your masterpiece, add a colorful garnish. I like to top the dish with fresh raspberries, sliced almonds, white chocolate shavings and semisweet chocolate shavings.
These garnishes add the right amount of texture, color and extra flavor to every serving!
Before assembling, I recommend having all of your toppings ready. Place the pavlova on a serving platter then garnish in this order:
- Spread on the white chocolate whipped cream
- Top with the raspberry puree
- Pile fresh raspberries in the center of the pavlova
- Sprinkle with the chocolates and almonds
Serve your assembled pavlova immediately. Note that your slices may not be perfect due to the crunchy exterior cracking under the knife, but every bite will be delicious.
How Long Can I Store Pavlova?
As the pavlova sits, it will begin to slowly break down. Pavlovas are sensitive to humidity and the moisture in the toppings. It will begin to soften up and will slowly start to become moist on the bottom.
If you know you’re not going to eat all of the pavlova at once, don’t add the toppings, just top slices before serving. Store the leftover pavlova in an airtight container in the fridge and consume within 2-3 days of making.
More Springtime Dessert Recipes
Now that the weather is warming, add more bright fruit flavors to your sweet treats with these favorite recipes:
- Cherry Bars have a soft, spongy texture and a filling of sweet, tart cherries.
- Fruit Pizza is bright, seasonal, and totally kid-approved for a shareable fruit dessert.
- Pressure Cooker Raspberry Cheesecake from Pressure Cooking Today is decadent, chocolatey, and made entirely in an Instant Pot!
- Mini Chocolate Pavlovas are adorable two-bite treats with white chocolate mint mascarpone mousse.
White Chocolate Raspberry Pavlova
Equipment
Ingredients
Pavlova
- 5 egg whites room temperature
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ÂĽ cup granulated or ultra-fine sugar
White Chocolate Whipped Cream
- 4 oz white chocolate finely chopped
- Âľ cup + 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Raspberry Puree
- 10 oz bag frozen raspberries
- ½ cup granulated sugar
Garnish
- Fresh raspberries
- White chocolate shavings
- Semi-sweet chocolate shavings
- Sliced almonds
Instructions
- PavlovaLine a cookie sheet with parchment. (If it is helpful you can trace a 9-inch circle in the center of your parchment so you have an outline to fill in with meringue when the time comes.)
- Preheat the oven to 200°F.
- Put egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form.
- In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch, vinegar and vanilla. Set aside.
- With a mixer on medium speed, very slowly pour in the granulated sugar.
- Once all the sugar has been added, add in the cornstarch mixture.
- Continue beating until stiff peaks form. With a spatula scrape the sides of the bowl and bring the meringue on the bottom of the mixing bowl to the top. More than likely it won’t be at the stiff peaks stage so continue mixing.
- Once all the meringue is at a stiff peak stage, pour onto the prepared cookie sheet. Shape the sides and smooth over the top with an offset spatula.
- Place in the oven and bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes. The meringue will spread slightly, this is normal. Once fully baked, remove from the oven and cool to room temp.
- White Chocolate Whipped CreamPlace white chocolate in a medium-size mixing bowl. Heat 2 tablespoons of heavy cream. Pour over the chopped white chocolate, let sit 2 minutes. Begin stirring in small circular motions beginning in the center and moving outward. As the chocolate begins to melt and continue mixing until fully combined. Let cool, cool enough that it is still pourable but not too cool that its stiff.
- Add Âľ cup heavy whipping cream to a small mixing bowl. Use a handheld mixer and beat until soft peaks form.
- Fold half of the whipped cream into the cooled white chocolate mixture until well blended. Gently fold in the remaining whipped cream. Keep chilled until ready to assemble.
- Raspberry PureePut the frozen raspberries and sugar in a small saucepan. Heat on medium heat, stirring often. Once the mixture comes to a simmer, simmer for 20 minutes, stir often.
- Once reduced, pour into a strainer over a bowl to remove the seeds. Some seeds will still sneak through that is fine.
- Let cool completely.
- AssemblyPlace cooled pavlova on cake plate. Spread white chocolate whipped cream on top of the pavlova. Spread the raspberry puree on top of the whip. Arrange fresh raspberries on top and sprinkle with almonds and chocolate shavings. Serve immediately.
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