Truly Yummy Strawberry Pavlova
A beautifully crisp, naturally gluten free and dairy free strawberry pavlova with a soft marshmallow centre that’s perfect for birthdays, celebrations and summer entertaining.
A dessert I’ve enjoyed for years
I’ve been gluten free for much longer than I’ve been dairy free and one dessert I always enjoy at family gatherings and dinner parties is pavlova or individual meringues with cream and berries.
Naturally gluten free, meringues quickly became my celebration dessert of choice. For many years, I have made pavlovas for my birthdays rather than attempting a gluten free sponge cake.
When I later became dairy free, my dessert of choice became a little more challenging. Back in 2016 dairy free whipping cream was difficult to find. I experimented with coconut cream but it always left a distinctive coconut flavour. It was great for an exotic fruit pavlova but wasn’t great for serving with strawberries.
Recently I have discovered Coconut Collab Double Cream. It whips beautifully just like traditional double cream. There is only a subtle hint of coconut flavour which disappears once you add a little icing sugar and vanilla extract.
The secret to perfect white meringue
For years I have struggled to achieve the perfect white meringue. They often came out of the oven beige. This was probably down to either the vanilla extra, cornflour, vinegar or the oven temperature. They were always delicious and had a crisp outer shell with a soft marshmallow centre but they never looked quite how I wanted them to.
After plenty of trial and error, I have finally found a method that works every time. The meringue stays beautifully white, develops a crisp outer shell and has that irresistible soft marshmallow centre that makes a truly yummy pavlova.
The same recipe, a different centrepiece
I use the same meringue recipe for my Truly Yummy Eton Mess. The only difference is the way the meringue is shaped. Instead of individual nests, I create one large pavlova that’s perfect for piling high with whipped cream and fresh strawberries. It’s a simple yet stunning dessert that’s guaranteed to impress.
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Truly Yummy Strawberry Pavlova
Equipment
- 1 food mixer or electric hand whisk
- 1 non-stick silicone mat or baking tray with baking parchment
- 1 small bowl
- 1 large serving plate
Ingredients
Meringue
- 3 large egg whites
- 150 ml caster sugar
- ¼ tsp cream of tartar
Filling
- 400 g fresh strawberries, washed and sliced
- ½ lemon, juice only
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- 220 g plant-based cream recommend Coconut Collab Double Cream
- 1 sprig of fresh mint, leaves only
Instructions
Meringue
- Heat the oven to 100℃ / Gas Mark ¼.
- In the food mixer whisk the egg whites on high until frothy then sprinkle in the cream of tartar.
- Continue to beat and slowly add the caster sugar a spoonful at a time until the mixture forms glossy thick white peaks and is no longer grainy in texture.
- Using a large serving spoon, spoon the mixture onto the prepared baking tray or silicone mat. Create a 20cm diameter circle and then make a small well in the centre of the meringue approximately 10cm in diameter and 4-5cm deep. Creating a deep well with thick sides ensures there's plenty of room for the whipped cream and strawberry filling.
- Bake in the oven for 1 ½ hours.
- When the time is up, immediately turn the oven off and leave the meringue in the oven for another 1-2 hours or until the oven has completely cooled down.
- Either leave in the oven until you're ready to assemble or pop it in an air tight container until you are ready to use it.
Filling
- Place the sliced strawberries into a small bowl, add the lemon juice and caster sugar.
- Gently mix to coat the strawberries, then leave them to macerate in their lovely juices until you're ready to serve.
- Whipped the plant-based cream until it holds it's shape.
Assembly
- Place the meringue on to a serving plate.
- Carefully fill the well with the whipped plant-based cream.
- Then top the cream with the strawberries, all their juices and finish with a garnish of fresh mint leaves.
- Serve immediately.
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