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elegant plate of mini meringue pavlovas topped with whipped cream and fresh berries

Mini Meringue Pavlovas with Fresh Berries

Mini meringue pavlovas are light, crisp on the outside, and soft in the middle. Topped with whipped cream and fresh berries, they make an elegant dessert that looks fancy but is easy to make at home.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
cooling time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 8 mini pavlovas
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, New Zealand inspired
Calories: 200
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the meringues:
  • 4 large egg whites room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar superfine sugar works best
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon white vinegar or lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the topping:
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups fresh mixed berries strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 250°F (120°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Draw 3-inch circles as guides if you want even sizes, then flip the paper over.
  2. Whip egg whites in a clean, dry bowl until soft peaks form.
  3. Add sugar slowly—1 tablespoon at a time—while whipping until the meringue is glossy and forms stiff peaks.
  4. Stabilize mixture by folding in cornstarch, vinegar (or lemon juice), and vanilla.
  5. Shape pavlovas by spooning meringue onto the parchment circles. Use the back of a spoon to make a shallow well in the center of each.
  6. Bake low and slow for 60–70 minutes until dry and crisp on the outside.
  7. Cool in oven with the door slightly open until completely cooled. Don’t rush this step.
  8. Whip cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form.
  9. Assemble pavlovas just before serving. Spoon whipped cream into the wells and top with fresh berries.

Notes

  • Don’t add the whipped cream until right before serving. Otherwise, the meringues will get soft.
  • If you don’t have superfine sugar, just pulse regular sugar in a blender for a few seconds.
  • Cracks in the meringue aren’t a disaster—just call them rustic and top with extra cream.