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Perfect Spring Pavlova

Crisp on the outside, pillowy in the middle, topped with decadent homemade whipped cream and a silky, tangy blood orange curd. It’s the perfect Pavlova.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Resting Time 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Course Dessert
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

For the Pavlova

  • 4 large egg whites
  • 3/4 cup superfine sugar
  • 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp corn starch

For the Whipped Cream

  • 1 cup whipping cream
  • 3 tbsp powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch of salt

For the Blood Orange Curd

  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp blood orange zest
  • 1/4 cup blood orange juice fresh
  • 1/8 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 pinch of salt

Instructions
 

For the Pavlova

  • Preheat the oven to 300°F (roughly 150 C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and use a circular object 7" in diameter to trace a circle onto the parchment paper. Flip the parchment paper over so that the tracing doesn't touch the meringue later on.
  • In a clean bowl, crack 4 eggs one at a time and separate the egg whites from the yolks pouring each egg white into the bowl of a stand (or hand) mixer individually.* (Reserve three egg yolks to be used later in the blood orange curd).
  • Once all egg whites have been separated, add 1/2 tsp of cream of tartar and 1/4 tsp of salt to the bowl and begin to whip on medium speed.
  • Once the egg whites have reached the foamy stage (lots of bubbles resembling a bubble bath), begin to slowly add in the 3/4 cup of superfine sugar 1 tablespoon at a time while the mixer is still mixing. It is important to add the sugar in a slow stream rather than dumping it into the bowl.
  • When all of the sugar has been added, increase the mixer speed to high and beat until stiff peaks form. Add 1 tsp of vanilla extract and beat until incorporated.
  • Add 1 1/2 tsp of corn starch and mix by hand until mixed in. Fold softly as to not deflate the airy meringue.
  • Dump the meringue out onto the circle that was traced earlier and use a spatula to form it into a disk with a slight dip on top leaving room for the fillings. Optional: use the spatula to create a pattern on the outside of the meringue.
  • Place meringue into the oven and immediately drop its temperature from 300°F (150°C) to 250°F (120°C) and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes.
  • When the meringue is done baking, turn the oven off but do not remove your meringue. Leave it in the oven for 1 hour. Then, after 1 hour, crack the door open and allow it to cool for 1 more hour or overnight. The goal is to slowly dry out the meringue. In the end the outside should be crunchy and the middle should be marshmallowy.

For the Whipped Cream

  • Add 1 cup of heavy whipping cream, 3 tbsp of powdered sugar, 1 tsp of vanilla extract and a pinch of salt to a medium bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until stiff peaks form. Set aside to used for the final assembly.

For the Blood Orange Curd

  • Add 1/3 c granulated sugar and 1 Tbsp blood orange zest to a small/medium saucepan that is off the heat. Give the mixture a vigorous whisk.
  • Add 3 large egg yolks to the saucepan and give the mixture another vigorous whisk until the mix has lightened in color.
  • Pour in 1/4 c fresh blood orange juice and whisk until combined.
  • Place the saucepan over low/medium heat making sure to whisk constantly. Pay special attention to the edges of the saucepan, the curd would most likely burn here if anywhere. Whisk constantly until the mix thickens. You’ll know it’s done when it reaches a hollandaise sauce consistency. It will thicken even more in the refrigerator.
  • Pull the blood orange curd off of the heat and mix in 1/8 c cold butter that has been cut into small pieces. Mix until butter has melted.
  • (Optional) Pass the blood orange curd through a kitchen sieve to get rid of any zest and add 1-2 drops of red food coloring to make the color brighter.
  • Place in an airtight container and let cool/thicken in the refrigerator for 1 hour. It will last in the fridge for up to 5 days.

For the Assembly

  • Add whipped cream and blood orange curd on top of the pavlova. Optionally add edible flowers and blood orange slices for decoration. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

*It is important to pour each egg white into the bowl of the mixer individually so that you don't lose your whole batch of eggs if one yolk cracks into the bowl.