Perfect Pavlova Recipe | Chelsea Sugar (2024)

Reviews

Average Rating
(165 reviews)

i love it

I have used this recipe a few times and has never failed…Perfect Pav Everytime

I have used this recipe a few times and has never failed…Perfect Pav Everytime

perfect pavlova - simple as that.

Worked perfectly

Made many times and has never failed me

i put it in, and when there was still 50 mins left i checked on it and it was black.

Loved it

My first Pav came out perfectly. Now I always use this recipe and it's been perfect every time.

Followed recipe and have ended up with a pavlova that as cracked/ broken sides, easier just to buy one ready made.....

Best most consistent pav ever.

how low down should you place the oven rack.

Ours didn't set

Perfect first pav

Just amazing i cut sugar back result was so great will keep making this great dessert.Thank you.

Yum, yum and more yum!

I use this recipe for pav every time and it never fails. I do reduce the sugar by half a cup as first time used 2 cups and was too sweet. I make this pavlova once a week, my family love it.

This was yummy

Great

A successful pav is something to behold! I've followed the same recipe for years, but thought I'd give this one a go... and it was a success! I was a bit worried about the "not fan-bake" line, because that is what I have and I don't understand why not. It had me googling whether pavs could be made in a fan bake and I couldn't find anything that said they couldn't. Anyway, at least it worked and the family was happy.
BTW, I never understand reviewers that don't follow the recipe and then moan that it didn't work. Pavlova by it's very nature is a sweet dessert.

Amazing pavlova recipe I am 70years and this was my first attempt perfect evertime
Everyone loves it.

Amazing pavlova recipe I am 70years and this was my first attempt perfect evertime
Everyone loves it.

Used the recipe last night, it looks superb ! Thank you for the recipe reource!

Followed the recipe to a t and pavlova as cracked and is weeping...won't make this ever again....

I made this for Christmas 2021. First time ever making a pavlova and was not disappointed! Didn't look like a store one but tasted better, I always use Chelsea recipes. Doesn't steer me wrong

Made this Pavlova today. Following the recipe to the letter! It has weeped hugely and I have no idea why! Only my 4th Pavlova Ever! So disappointed! And eggs are too costly to waste of Pavlova that are awful.

Amazing this tasted superb

Amazing this tasted superb

Amazing this tasted superb

good basic recipe ,love someone saying its awful and Edmonds one better ! actually they are both identical ! same number eggs ,same amount of sugar ! only difference is the extra half teaspoon of vinegar and cornflower !!!!

This was the worst worst recipe ever I hate it hate it I found a good one on Edmond it worked so well deff not here

Less sugar and more cooking time required. Baked for the recommended cooking time and the result was a very sticky, undercooked pav.

horrible was very yuck

great best pav ever

good for a school report and yum I Luv pav!

fast and easy recipe to learn loved it and enjoyed making this was tasty.

Absolutely amazing recipe! My first ever go at making the famous pavlova and this recipe and instructions were absolutely perfect! Thank you so much!

Wipe out your greasy bowl before use?...come on...who uses a dirty greasy bowl to begin with?

This recipe has really helped me with my baking! Try it, but don't use too much butter, I found that the recipe tells me to add to much.

it is extremely delicious

yum

I think it was a bit undercooked. It was quite gooey and mushy on the inside, but the outside was crunchy. Please let me know if this is normal!

bad

really good recipe and easy to follow. it turned out very well

This recipe is perfect!
I've followed this recipe many times but add a spoon of cream of tartar.
A special tip is to also make sure your kitchen is nice and cool before making. I always make this in the evening/night time, (day before i need it) and leave it in the oven overnight. I also like to set the oven to 180 and turn it down to 150 when I am about to spoon it onto the baking paper. Honestly the best recipe, thankyou :)

Perfect!

This worked great the first time, but ever since I am getting a totally cracked top and sides that end up collapsing. Good marshmallow on the inside though. What am I doing wrong to get such as thin crust that is breaking up?

its good

Never fails . I’ve used this recipe a lot . Always a success & everyone loves it

I beat it for 10 minutes slowly adding the sugar in and the whole thing fell apart into a goopey mess. Disastrous. I recommend just eyeing it and seeing what looks best rather than following the recipe strictly.

Agree with other reviewers, way too sweet and inside was undercooked despite following recipe to a t.

Only Pavlova ever to fail. Wasn't crunchy on the outside. Will go back to Edmonds Cookbook 4 egg whites fail safe recipe.

Disaster again! Did everything right. Nice thick mixture but when it had cooked and cooled it was sunken inside and undercooked.

It works winderfully

I always use the heavy sugar not castor and cut back on sugar nice and crisp done it for years

I always use the heavy sugar not castor and cut back on sugar nice and crisp done it for years

I always use the heavy sugar not castor and cut back on sugar nice and crisp done it for years

Amazing

Im 12 and i tried this,it work first go thanks chelsea

cool video

Great recipe. Make sure u use size 8 nz eggs. My girls lay big eggs 80g+ nextime i will only use 5 eggs as my v.old K-mixer bowl almost 2small.
I use surplus egg yolks for lemon curd (or freeze for latter use)

Just perfect

I did 3 attempts, same recipe list ( except 1.5 cups caster sugar) just played with cooking times and temperature. Attempt 1: 150 degrees, 1.5 hours = best result, perfectly cooked and slightly tanned thin crisp, inside was full to the crisp, it did split a little but nothing cream couldn't cover. Attempt 2: 110 degrees, 1.5 hours = sickening sweet, white thick meringue and undercooked, inside flopped and didn't rise as high as 1st try. Attempt 3: 130 degrees, 2 hours = tanned thick meringue, inside rose high then dropped half way leaving a big hollow hole. Next time will probably go with 1st attempt cooking time and temperature.

A very simple recipe with outstanding results. I have only made two pavlovas in my life because I don't usually like them. The first pav was good and everyone loved it, but I lowered the temperature by 10C for the second attempt, which resulted in a beautiful soft marshmallow. The response from diners was amazing. "The best pav they had ever eaten".

So good - easy to make and turns out great every time

First time making pav with my daughter and it wasn't good. Cut the sugar by half and it was still super sweet. But oven temp too low because the pav was still sticky even after letting it cool completely down in the oven. Won't be using this recipe again unfortunately.

CHELSEA SUGAR: Hi there, thanks for your feedback. Sugar is a key ingredient in pavlova recipes - if you reduced it by half, this is most likely the reason why it didn't work properly / was sticky.

Good

Brilliant pav!

Great easy recipe!

Good recipe but too sweet for me, will take the recommendation of 1.5 cups of sugar next time and it should be perfect.

Good recipe. My pavlova turned out great. The cooking times suggested are a bit off though. Ended up cooking for 2 hours at 110 Celsius (not fan forced) and resting in a cooling oven for just over 2 hours. This method provided a good result.

Fabulous recipe, have been making Pavs for 20 yrs, this works so well, extra beating ,extra time in oven all help but best served once creamed & with fruit after over night in the fridge..simply superb

So easy to make and the end result was spectacular.

Great recipe. I agree too sweet but each to their own taste. See below the reason pav leaked sugar was you didn’t follow instruction very important to add sugar slowly over 10 minutes thanks Chelsea your recipes are great

This turned out a treat. Had nice crunch on the outside, marshmallow texture and a little bit of chewiness. First time I've tried this recipe and pleasantly surprised with the results. I also reduced the sugar by half a cup only after reading reviews of others.

Great recipe, great video thanks

Very good

Very good recipe. Thank you

i was cooking at school making this with some of my friends and it turned out awesome it was so good so yum.

I've used the recipe over a dozen times now and its perfect, I use around 1.5C sugar and its fantastic everytime! Make sure the oven door is not opened once the pav is in! Awesome stuff Chelsea.

AWESOME VIDEO

I’ve been making pavlovas for years and thought them pretty amazing but lost my recipe so tried this one. It is the best ever! Everything a pavlova should be, crunchy on the outside, marshmallow inside and a little but of chewy. I was very proud it. It will be my go-to recipe from now on.

I'm sorry to say this was the worst pav I've ever made - too much sugar. I went strictly by the recipe, but it was soggy inside, liquid sugar seeped out around the pav and was too sweet to eat. A waste of 6 eggs and electricity.

I’ve lived away from kiwi land for maybe 15 years and finally made my first pav. This is divine. It worked perfectly and was a real treat. Great recipe. I taste tested it after adding 1 cup of sugar and ended up only using 1 + 1/4 cup. Loved it still. So good to be a kiwi!

Very nice.

Turned out awesome only problem with it was that it was too sweet next time I will use less sugar.
Otherwise easy recipe that me and my son made together he was soo impatient waiting for it to cook and cool though

Love this recipe. Used it multiple times.

Delicious. Done it 10+ times and it never fails (unless I forget to turn the oven off) - definitely recommend!

For those of you who have had trouble with the temperature and cooking time, try setting the oven to 150oC and fan bake for 50 minutes (until straw-coloured on top), then turn off the heat and leave pavlova in the oven until it is cold. Also PLEASE NOTE my recipe leaves out the cornflour because the finished result has a thick marshmallowy centre anyway. I have been making this recipe for 30 years and have never had a fail.

Best pav ever. I've made hundreds and this is the best.

Great recipe- only one I use now :)

Great receipe

Chelsea is always my go to! Easy, reliable recipes.

Does anyone from the company reads these reviews? I cut the sugar in half and it's still way too sweet.
Chelsea Sugar:
Hi Susan, yes we do read the reviews on our recipes. Thank you for sharing your feedback with us.

So good and yummy

gotta love these completely legit reviews

It was so good.

Yum

Always a winner this one from Chelsea. Thanks all.

First time making a pav, I didn’t have time to let it rest in the oven after baking and it still turned out perfect, this is definitely my go to recipe now, not even worried about trying another!

This was a brilliant recipe! I had never made a pavlova before and had heard they were tricky. This recipe was really easy, my pavlova turned out brilliantly and tasted amazing. It was one of the best pavlova's that I have ever had. Excellent recipe!!

My go to recipe. Pavs aren't the easiest to make. Have made this 3 times now and everytime it's amazing. Thank you. Read all the instructions people. Wipe bowl with lemon juice to remove all the grease, cook for APPROX 1 1/2 hrs. If it doesn't easily lift off the baking paper cook for longer obviously. Everyone's oven is different so read ALL the instructions.

I liked the detail of this recipe however the Pav wasn't even remotely cooked under the shell.

A perfectly uncooked pav....oven temp way too cool, it needs to be 150. Really disappointed as the pav in taste and appearance is perfect , just an underdone inside.

I'm a 10 year old and I love baking, I added things to the cake like strawberry flavouring and silver sprinkles to twist it up a bit. It tastes so so so good and i will definitely make it again sometime.

I love this recipe. So easy and never fails!

Too much sugar. Not enough heat/too short a cooking time.
Won't use this recipe again.

Perfect recipe, after hearing for years how hard they are to make, my first one turned out great and this recipe hasn’t failed me yet.

Only the second time I have made a pav, and this recipe was great. Nice large pavlova.. I was concerned about the amount of sugar and it not completely dissolving. There was still a 'grainy' feel of sugar after much beating but it turned out really well. Nice crust and soft in the middle.

I'd lost my one from years ago. This was the closest to it and works a treat every time!!!

'older', room temperature eggs are for sure the best - and I take my time with the sugar additions. As in WAAAAYYY longer, with smaller additions than mentioned here.

Perfect recipe, never failed me yet!

Absolute disaster, runny in the middle broke on removing from the oven, waste of 6 eggs. Cooking temp too low, too much sugar!

An absolute winner with dinner guests

So far so good. It's in the oven looking like a real pavlova.
I have never made a successful pavlova yet, I am 66 and still trying!

Impressed my Irish hosts with this!

I’m a kiwi overseas visiting friends and yes a pavlova in each country ... France Prague and Greeece. Works every time

Love this recipe, works perfectly every time.

I lived in NZ for 10 years. I now live back here in the States. I have made this for my mother and she loved it. I am now getting ready to make some for my friends. Can't wait to see their faces!

Great recipe as i had an ex mother-in-law known for her pavlova. It has been over 10 yrs since I made one, so wanted to see if I still could. I love Chelsea recipes, they are the only ones besides the oldest cooking books I use and Edmonds too as I know they only really use Chelsea too.

it tasted amazing it was soooo rich and creamy

Not cooked after the time stated sugar has seeped out
I make a amazing pav normally

Nice recipe

love it the best i like lemon juice over the vinegar

This is the best pav I ever made! Turned out perfect, lives up to it's name. I won't search any further for another recipe. I like that this recipe calls for 6 eggs as opposed to 4 as I like making it for a group of 8-10.

Thank you!!

this is amazing

I followed the recipe to a tee.
But the cooking time is way out.
1 1/2 hrs at 110 ° C in a non fan bake oven.Still uncooked.So I turned it up to 150° for another hour.Needless to say.Not a good result.

Too much sugar.

Always makes an amazing pavlova, don't quite know the trick to make it tall though mine are always a bit flatter but still taste just as good! a trick I found out if you're having trouble with the egg whites clean the bowl you use very thoroughly so no grease is present because the grease can make it more difficult for the eggs to form peaks

My go-to recipe. Just made two but the second one, instead of vanilla, I used lemon essence and a dollop of yellow food colouring. Kitchen smells divine and scraping the bowl afterwards was the best!! :D

Amazing recipe. Tasted great. Will recommend this recipe to people who aren't very good at making pavs (like me :) )

This was the first time I've made a pavlova and although it didn't quite turn out correctly (my error - think I didn't mix all the sugar in properly as it seeped syrup while baking), it was saveable and was absolutely delicious.

Worked perfectly. Delicious desert. So Yummy In my tummy. :-)

Made this recipe many times. Find this recipe excellent.

It was amazing. yummy.

Looking good at the moment.

My husband worked in NZ several years ago, and we have returned three times......
this is one of his favorites....
he loves it, and it's fairly E-Z to put together........
it will be an " often " treat...............

Okay so pavlova turned out beautifully except - it's stuck to the baking paper!!! Yikes need to start all over again. I've read that you should put vegetable oil on your tray before putting paper down! Wish I knew that before.
It would be helpful if Chelsea would include this helpful info in their recipe!

First Pav I've ever made. Thought id never go there as i heard many horror stories and thought leave pav's to the grandma's of the world! Well i ain't no grandma and now have to make all pav's from now on! Awesome recipe for the newbies! The crust was thick ..YUM.. and that lil bit of chew.. Love the recipe.
CHELSEA: Well done Kath. Don't forget to try our new Golden Pavlova pretty sure it will be your new favourite. Happy Baking.

On point!!

I am not the baker in the family and first time making this I got given the ultimate compliment that it tastes like Grandmas. Pretty stoked about that. Absolutely amazing recipe!

great recipe

I am a young mumma who is always having a bit of a battle in the kitchen. I just made this pavlova, maybe an hour or so ago, for my son's 3rd birthday party tomorrow. I tell ya, I have never seen a more perfect pavlova. I have been tooting my own horn ever since it came out of the oven. Everyone's jaws hit the floor at how wonderful it has turned out. Thank you thank you thank you!!! This recipe is a keeper. I will definitely be jotting this one down in the book of successful recipes I have tried. Cheers! Look no further! The perfect pav is this one right up in here :D

this recipe sukz...
better recipes are at phub...

It's perfect. I have used other recipes in the past but this turned out great.. thank you for sharing..

A winner it's perfect

Great tasting pav but it did leak and crack a lot. Not bad for a first attempt at a pav though!

First time I've made a pavlova and this came out fabulous and was so easy and not intimidating

Made this 3 times now, and never failed, just keeps getting better, finding I am having to leave it in the oven to cool to avoid cracking.
Other than that awesome. Now my go to recipe when we want a fancy dessert to take to friends.

Very good Pav and looks like the picture. I will be making this again.

great pav all nz though

This recipe is a keeper. My first attempt at making a pav and it turned out perfect.

Hi - my question is my oven creates a moist heat which is great for cakes, etc. but not so good for meringues. Any suggestions for this. Mum was a great pav maker in her f&p oven, but these euro ovens don't seem to vent to the outside. I have tried a lemon meringue pie, but it wept!
CHELSEA: Hi there, unfortunately we're not sure how you can tweak your oven to make this work. Perhaps you might have to borrow a friend's oven for this one? Meringue can also weep due to other factors - over or undercooking, not using a fine enough sugar, using eggs that are too fresh etc, so make sure you have ruled out these things first. Good luck!

My old mums recipe is almost the same. 4 egg whites, 1 cup caster sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp vinegar, 3 tsp cornflour. Beat eggs for 10 min then slowly add sugar, slow beater down then add v/essence, vinegar, cornflour. All the same as your recipe. Set oven at 150, cook for 45 min, turn off and leave overnight to cool.

I have been making pavlovas for years (similar to this recipe) BUT I ALWAYS cook it on the plate I am serving it on - no problem with trying to get it off baking paper. When you think about it, pottery/china is fired at 1000 degrees or more so it is not going to break in a low oven temperature!!
CHELSEA: great tip!

Great pav! Came out perfectly! But had to cook for 2 hours and 15mins and cool in the oven. Perfect if you have plenty of time. Everybody loved it!

awesome pavlova

Lovely, maybe a bit too sweet and stayed flat. Other than that, excellent.

brilliant recipe and lovely and easy, went down a treat thank you

Best pavlova I've ever made!

Loved the recipe except I put everything into the bowl at the same time and beat on high for 12mins.
Perfect pavlova!!!!!

Easy as and came out perfect

Malt vinegar is not gluten free, to make it gluten free you could use white instead

Why do my Pav's slowly form syrup beads on the surface?

This is one seriously good pavlova!!! i have never been able to make a perfect pav but i made this one on Christmas day i it was supreme, no one had tasted one so good!!! thanks heaps=)

I chose this recipe for my first attempt at a pav... Just perfect! This is a keeper

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Perfect Pavlova Recipe | Chelsea Sugar (2024)

FAQs

Why is my sugar not dissolving in pavlova? ›

Beat the egg whites only until soft peaks form before you start adding the sugar; if you beat the whites until they are stiff and dry, the sugar will take longer to dissolve. To check that the sugar is properly dissolved rub a small quantity of the egg-white mixture between your fingertips to see if it's smooth.

What is the function of sugar in pavlova? ›

The sugar acts as a stabilizer by binding with the water and giving a stable shape to the meringue. The addition of sugar is the critical point in the production of meringue, as it can reduce the foam formation in the beginning and has to be gradually added only after the foaming has begun [3].

Can too much sugar ruin meringue? ›

Make sure to add the sugar slowly, allowing it to dissolve before adding more. If you dump too much sugar in, it'll deflate all the air bubbles, compromising the structure. Also, if you leave sugar granules undissolved, your meringue will weep later on.

Why does my pavlova leak sugar syrup? ›

A pavlova will “weep” a sugary syrup when the sugar hasn't been completely dissolved. You can prevent this by: don't overwhisk your egg whites: keep the mixer speed on med to medium-high. If you over whisk the egg whites, they will become grainy, lose their structure and not able to hold the sugar.

How do you fix undissolved sugar in meringue? ›

A couple of times I have accidently put too much sugar in & I only realised that after everything had been added & the sugar was not dissolving. The last time that happened I put in another egg white to the whisked mix. The result - the sugar dissolved & the meringues were fine.

What happens if you put less sugar in meringue? ›

How much sugar and how much egg white do we need? According to most bakers, you'll need 30-60g sugar per egg white (we are assuming large eggs). The less sugar, the softer the meringue.

Can you use less sugar when making pavlova? ›

The answer: surprisingly quite low. A typical pavlova recipe might have a ratio of 1/4 cup of sugar per egg white in the recipe. I found that I could cut the sugar in half with no noticeable impact on texture and taste. So I kept testing and reducing the sugar.

Is sugar necessary for meringue? ›

While it may seem daunting, a basic meringue is nothing more than a mixture of beaten egg whites and sugar. It's a must-have topping for many desserts, everything from a classic Lemon Meringue Pie to a Heavenly Baked Alaska, and if you follow these simple steps you'll be a master meringue maker in no time.

Does meringue need a lot of sugar? ›

Basic Swiss Meringue ratios

You'll note that all my meringue recipes follow a specific formula: for every egg white I add ¼ cup granulated sugar. This gives us a near 1:1 weight ratio in terms of egg white and sugar.

What are the three rules for making a successful meringue? ›

You simply need to follow just a few simple rules and I promise you will have perfectly beaten egg whites in the end:
  1. room temperature whites are KEY! ...
  2. beat the whites low and slow to start! ...
  3. cream of tartar is your meringue “MVP”! ...
  4. add your granulated sugar slowly too!
Jan 19, 2023

What are the common mistakes to avoid while preparing meringue? ›

7 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Making Meringue
  1. Adding Sugar Too Quickly.
  2. Skipping Cream of Tartar.
  3. Mixing in a Dirty Bowl.
  4. Using Cold Eggs.
  5. Overbeating the Egg Whites.
  6. Squeezing the Air Out.
  7. Baking at Too Low a Temperature.

Why did my pavlova collapse? ›

If the meringue is a lot flatter after baking then it is possible that the egg whites were whisked too much. The extra air expands in the oven and can overstretch the cells of whisked egg white, causing them to break and the meringue to collapse.

Why is my pavlova not white? ›

The outside of a pavlova meringue may not be quite as brilliantly white as a crisp meringue because of the higher oven temperature but it should not be buff coloured or dark brown. If the meringue is taking on too much colour then the oven temperature is too high.

How do you know when a pavlova is done? ›

How Do I Know My Pavlova Is Done? A perfectly baked pavlova should be pale and look dry, but a skewer inserted in the meringue should come out with a thick sticky, marshmallow-like consistency. If you aren't sure about the pavlova's doneness, turn the oven off, open the door and leave the meringue for up to an hour.

What makes pavlova chewy? ›

Sugar makes the pavlova mixture strong and stable, and is responsible for that super hard shiny crust. I found that as you reduce the sugar or increase the brown sugar (it has more moisture), the final result is a chewier, with a more fragile, shattery crust.

Why is my pavlova grainy? ›

If you don't beat it into the eggwhites for long enough, the meringue can be grainy. Remember that caster sugar dissolves more easily than granulated sugar as the crystals are smaller. Add sugar little by little as this will help it incorporate more quickly without the risk of overwhipping your meringue.

What happens if you overbeat pavlova? ›

If you do happen to overbeat your meringue (which may end up looking clumpy and watery) you can try to save it by adding another egg white.

Why is my meringue so grainy? ›

Beating the Egg Whites for Too Long

But the opposite can also happen: if you beat them for too long, eventually the whites go past peak stiffness to a kind of grainy consistency. The dry and almost lumpy, curdled milk texture is equally undesirable, both aesthetically and functionally.

Why is my meringue leaking sugar? ›

This usually happens if your meringue is made when it's super humid or if the egg whites and sugar aren't mixed correctly. To keep your fresh meringue from doing this, all you have to do is pay special attention to the recipe instructions to be sure you're following them exactly.

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