Blackberry Pavlovas

These exquisite Blackberry Pavlovas are a show-stopper dessert that will impress your guests. The crisp and delicate meringue shell is filled with a delicious blackberry jam, and topped with light and fluffy whipped cream and fresh blackberries.

The tangy and sweet blackberries give a burst of flavor with every bite, balanced perfectly by the mild and creamy filling. The meringue has a chewy center and a cracking shell, adding a delightful texture to the dessert.

If you’re a fan of dessert that provides a burst of fruity goodness with every bite, then these blackberry pavlovas are worth trying. Pavlova is one of the most elegant of all desserts, and when paired with the sweet and tart flavors of blackberries, it makes for a combination that is irresistible.

Pavlova is essentially a meringue-based dessert that is named after the Russian ballerina, Anna Pavlova. This dessert consists of a crunchy exterior, with a soft and chewy interior.

Blackberries, on the other hand, are known for their juicy texture, bright color, and unique sweetness. They are an excellent source of vitamin C and K, and provide plenty of antioxidants that contribute to your overall health.

When combined with pavlova, blackberries bring an extra measure of tanginess and depth of flavor.

How to make Blackberry Pavlovas

To make blackberry pavlovas, let’s start with the meringue.

Begin by preheating your oven to 250°F. Separate the egg whites from the yolks, and then combine them in a mixing bowl. Beat the egg whites until they froth, and as the meringue continues to thicken, slowly add in the sugar in small increments, a couple of tablespoons at a time, and continue to whip to stiff peaks.

Whip the meringue until it’s very stiff. This is extremely important. Swirl the whisk in the bowl and hold it up to check if it’s ready, the meringue should have several stiff peaks poking out of it. It should be glossy and super firm.

Add the lemon juice, cornstarch to the meringue, and fold with a spatula. Mix minimally to avoid deflating it.

The lemon juice helps to stabilize the meringue, and the cornstarch will soak up any liquid or extra moisture, which will be beneficial to the final results.

Place the meringue in a piping bag and pipe about 3 inch nests on a parchment or silicone lined baking sheet. You will need 2 baking sheets for this amount of meringue.

Making the nest shape will ensure you will have a place to add the blackberry jam and top with the whipped cream when it’s assembly time.

Bake the pavlovas for one hour in the pre-heated oven. Turn the oven off and leave the pavlovas in there for 30 minutes. If you remove them from the oven immediately, or if you constantly open the oven door, the pavlovas will crack or deflate due to the sudden temperature change.

When to add food coloring to the pavlova meringue?

You can add the food coloring during the final stages of whipping the meringue. Make sure to use gel or powder food coloring, stay away from liquid or oil based food coloring, because they will break the meringue structure.

Another option, if you want to create a swirl effect on the pavlovas is to leave the meringue white, without any food coloring, and brush the insides of the piping bag with a brush dipped in gel food coloring.

It helps if you place the bag in a cup, with the sides folded over the cup so the bag stays held open. Put a few drops of food coloring on a little bowl or plate, dip the brush in the food coloring, and brush from the bottom of the bag all the way to the top.

What kind of sugar to use to make pavlovas

You can use caster or granulated sugar. I use granulated sugar because that’s what I always have in my pantry, but caster sugar, or super-fine sugar will technically produce better results because the sugar is more easily incorporated with the meringue.

Granulated sugar might take a bit more time to dissolve than caster sugar. It produces fine results for me, so that’s what I use.

How to store pavlovas

The unfilled pavlovas can be stored for up to 5 days in an air-tight container at room temperature. Make sure they stay covered and protected from the environment’s humidity. They can become soft if they are exposed and not in an air-tight container.

The filled pavlovas should be consumed on the same day, or the day after. Depending on the filling, they can become soggy if they sit too long. If you fill them with something like jam, or curd, they can become soft quickly, which is why it’s preferred to assemble them the same day you are serving, to ensure the best texture.

Blackberry Jam filling

To make the Blackberry Jam, simply combine the fresh blackberries with sugar, or sweetener of choice, lemon juice, and two tablespoons of water. Place the mixture in a saucepan and set over medium heat. Cook for about ten minutes until the blackberries have broken down, forming a thick, syrupy sauce-like consistency.

I like to add cornstarch to my blackberry sauce, because otherwise it will be too runny and can make the pavlovas soggy quickly. Mix the cornstarch with water to dissolve, add to the pan, cook with the blackberries for just one or two minutes, until the sauce is thick.

Set the blackberry sauce aside and let it cool.

To assemble, spoon some of the jam inside the pavlovas, then top with freshly whipped cream.

The finished product is not only visually stunning, but it also delivers a burst of bright flavor and exciting textures.

The chewy meringue pairs beautifully with the zest blackberry jam and the soft layer of whipped cream. The blackberry sauce adds a tangy and smooth flavor and a pop of deep purple.

The result is a dessert that is both elegant and casual, perfect for a summer gathering.

If you like this recipe, make sure to check these other recipes below:

• Lemon Pavlovas
• Blackberry Lemon Cake
• Blackberry Icebox Cake
• Lemon Cheesecake
• Blackberry Pound Cake
• Mascarpone Puff Pastry
• Pistachio Cannoli

Blackberry pavlovas are a unique and delicious variation of a timeless dessert. They are simple to prepare, visually striking, and absolutely delightful to eat. With their bright, tangy and sweet taste, this dessert will quickly become your new favorite. So go ahead and give it a try! You won’t be disappointed.

Blackberry Pavlovas

Camila Hurst

This exquisite blackberry pavlova is a show-stopper dessert that will impress your guests. The crisp and delicate meringue shell is filled with a delicious blackberry jam, and topped with light and fluffy whipped cream and fresh blackberries.

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine australian

Servings 12 mini pavlovas

Calories 240 kcal

Ingredients

  

Pavlovas

• 5 egg whites
• 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar 250 grams
• A few drops purple food coloring
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tsp lemon juice

Blackberry Jam

• 2 cups blackberries 280 grams
• 1/4 cup sugar 50 grams (or any sweetener, you can use maple syrup or honey as well)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp water

Whipped Cream

• 1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream 354 ml
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar 31 grams
• 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

 

Pavlovas

• Pre-heat the oven to 250 Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
• Whip the egg whites on medium speed with an electric mixer for 1 minute. Gradually add the granulated sugar to the mixer.
• Once all the sugar has been added, raise the speed to high and whip for 9 minutes. Total whipping time should be 10 to 12 minutes. Towards the end of the whipping time, around minute 8, add the food coloring to the bowl. (To do the swirl color technique in the pavlovas, don’t add food coloring now and read step 7 below.)
• The meringue should have stiff peaks, and should look glossy and shiny.
• Add the cornstarch and lemon juice to the meringue and mix with a spatula until incorporated.
• If you want to do a swirl color in your pavlovas, brush lines of gel food coloring inside the piping bag, from the bottom where the tip is, all the way to the top of the bag. It helps if you place the bag in a cup, with the sides folded over the cup so the bag stays held open. Put a few drops of food coloring on a little bowl or plate, dip the brush in the food coloring, and brush from the bottom of the bag all the way to the top.
• Transfer the meringue to two 16” piping bags fitted with an open star tip.
• Pipe the meringue into 3 1/2” inch nests, leaving some space in the center at the top so you can fill it later.
• Bake in the pre-heated oven for 1 hour. Turn the oven off and leave the pavlovas in there for 30 minutes. Let them cool down before proceeding with the filling. The unfilled pavlovas can be stored for up to 5 days in an air-tight container at room temperature.
• It’s very important to leave the pavlovas in the oven after they are done baking. If you remove them from the oven immediately, or if you constantly open the oven door, the pavlovas will crack or deflate due to the sudden temperature change.

Blackberry Jam

• Place the blackberries, sugar, lemon juice, and two tablespoons of water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-10 minutes. If mixture becomes dry, add a couple of tablespoons of water (or more lemon juice), to the pan.
• Dissolve 1 tbsp of cornstarch in 2 tbsp of water.
• Add it to the pan and cook for 1 minute until the jam is thick.
• Remove it to a small bowl. Let it cool in the fridge until completely chilled.

Whipped Cream

• Right before assembling and serving the pavlovas, make the whipped cream. I don’t recommend making the whipped cream ahead.
• Whip the cream, sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes, or until the cream has stiff peaks.
• Transfer it to a piping bag fitted with the tip of your choice. I like to use a 1M.

To assemble

• Spoon some of the blackberry jam in the center of the pavlovas.
• Top with whipped cream. Decorate with blackberries.
• It’s best to assemble the pavlovas on the day you plan on serving them. Sometimes the jam can make the pavlovas soft, and they will loose that crunchy meringue texture.
• You can make the jam and the pavlovas up to 5 days ahead. And make the whipped cream on the same day you plan on serving the pavlovas.

Notes

Pavlovas: make sure the meringue is super stiff before you stop whipping. If the meringue isn’t stiff enough, the pavlovas will lose their shape once you pipe. The times indicated above are just a guideline.

Serving: I do recommend filling them the same day you are serving, as the pavlovas will soften up with the curd the longer they sit.

Shelf life: the lemon curd will last for up to 5 days in the fridge, and the pavlovas last for up to 5 days in an air tight container at room temperature, but they start to soften up, specially if it’s humid out.

Keyword blackberry, pavlova