Amaretto Cherry Pavlovas
These Amaretto Cherry Pavlovas feature crisp meringue shells filled with homemade cherry jam, white chocolate whipped cream, and a drizzle of chocolate for a stunning, elegant dessert.
Servings 8 pavlovas
Calories 320kcal
Ingredients
Cherry Jam
- 2 cups pitted cherries, fresh or frozen 240g
- ¼ cup Domino® Baker’s Sugar™ 50g
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp water
- 1½ tbsp Amaretto or cherry liqueur, or vanilla extract
Pavlovas
- 4 large egg whites 130g, room temperature
- 1 cup Domino® Baker’s Sugar™ 200g
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- ½ tsp Amaretto or cherry liqueur, or vanilla extract
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- A drop of pink food coloring
White Chocolate Whipped Cream
- 1 cup heavy cream, divided 240ml
- ¾ cup white chocolate, chopped 113g
Decoration
- 1 white chocolate 113g, divided
Instructions
Cherry Jam
- In a small saucepan, combine cherries, sugar, and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until cherries soften and break down (about 8–10 minutes). If the mixture dries out, lower the heat and add a splash of water.
- Mix cornstarch and water in a small bowl until dissolved. Stir into the saucepan and cook until the jam thickens, about 1–2 minutes. Add Amaretto and remove from heat.
- Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let cool. Refrigerate at least 2 hours (up to 1 week).
Pavlovas
- Preheat oven to 250°F (120°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a clean, dry bowl, beat egg whites on medium speed until foamy (about 2 minutes).
- Gradually add sugar, 1 tbsp at a time, beating on medium-high until stiff, glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved. The meringue should be thick and hold its shape.
- Add vinegar, cornstarch, and Amaretto. Beat briefly to combine.
- For spooned pavlovas, simply drop 8 spoonfuls of the meringue mixture onto a parchment-lined baking tray. Use the back of the spoon to shape into circles, then gently press down the centers to create a hollow “nest.”
- For piped pavloavs, fit a piping bag with a large round or star tip. Brush streaks of pink food coloring inside the piping bag. Pipe a circle as the base on a parchment lined baking try., then pipe around the edge to build up the sides, leaving a hollow center.
- Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes. Turn oven off, prop the door open, and let pavlovas cool inside for 1 hour (or overnight) to dry out.
White Chocolate Whipped Cream
- Heat ¼ cup (60 ml) cream and pour over white chocolate. Stir until smooth. Let cool to room temperature.
- Chill a mixing bowl and beaters for 10–15 minutes. Pour in remaining ¾ cup (180 ml) cream and whip until almost stiff.
- Gradually drizzle in cooled white chocolate mixture, whipping until medium-stiff peaks form. Do not overwhip.
Decoration
- Melt half of the white chocolate bar in the microwave (short bursts, stirring). Transfer to a piping bag or use a spoon to drizzle.
- Spoon 1 tbsp cherry jam into each pavlova. Pipe or spoon whipped cream on top. Add more cherry jam.
- Drizzle melted chocolate over pavlovas. Use a vegetable peeler to shave curls from the remaining chocolate bar for garnish.
Notes
Egg whites: Ensure no yolk or grease is in the bowl for best volume.
Amaretto substitute: Use almond extract (start with ¼ tsp, adjust to taste).
White chocolate: Choose good-quality bars with cocoa butter. Avoid chips or bars with stabilizers.
Cherry jam: Halve cherries before cooking for smaller pieces.
Piping bag: If piping, use two large bags (16-inch) as the batch won’t fit in one. If spooning, simply make mounds with a dent in the center.
Storage:
Unfilled pavlovas: store airtight at room temp up to 2 weeks (depends on humidity).
Filled pavlovas: serve fresh, or refrigerate up to 1–2 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 1pavlova | Calories: 320kcal