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Award-winning chef, author and forager Alan Bergo. Food is all around you.

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Winter Pavlova

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Winter pavlova with meadowsweet ice cream, chokecherry sauce, wild blueberries, butternuts and angelica Sunday, Wednesday, spring, summer or winter–anytime is a good time for pavlova. If you’ve ever had one, I’ll bet you’re agreeing with me, especially if you’ve eaten one gilded with fresh berries in the height of summer. If you’re not familiar, pavlovas are a desert made of a meringue nest, the top chiseled out or cracked (or not), filled with whipped cream, pastry cream, fruit curd, ice cream,  or whatever creamy, smooth thing you could imagine eating with fruit (I suggest unsweetened Greek yogurt here). They’re part of an unnamed family of European desserts that rely on the triumvirate cream, fruit, and meringue.

Meringues for individual pavlova

I like to bake the meringues on a silicone mat.

One of the greatest versions of it I’ve had is still the first one that took my breath away, a tart-sweet combo of passion fruit sauce, diced mango and vanilla ice cream from a tiny restaurant in the Medieval town of Vaison-la-Romaine in the French Riviera. But, running a seasonal Midwestern restaurant at the time, I had to come up with different versions, tropical fruits being a self-imposed no-no.

After looking around in the cooler, I found a few jars of preserves, frozen fruit, and odds and ends laying around, so I made my own with what I had. I kept it in rotation to use up odds and ends, changing it on a whim–sometimes in the middle of service, until every preserved aronia berry, sour cherry and my favorite: the kaleidoscope of white, pink, red and black currants were used up.

Meringues for individual pavlova
Blobs shapes are fine, they don’t need to be perfect.
Winter pavlova with meadowsweet ice cream, chokecherry sauce, wild blueberries, butternuts and angelica
Put a dent in the top.
Winter pavlova with meadowsweet ice cream, chokecherry sauce, wild blueberries, butternuts and angelica
Fill with thick yogurt, ice cream, pastry cream, etc.

Winter pavlova with meadowsweet ice cream, chokecherry sauce, wild blueberries, butternuts and angelica
Wild blueberries, toasted butternuts.
Winter pavlova with meadowsweet ice cream, chokecherry sauce, wild blueberries, butternuts and angelica
Pavlova with butternuts.

Sometimes the fruit component was just a coulis or sauce, a dollop of jam, or just simply thawed, chunky fruit like bing cherries macerated with a little sugar and lemon zest. As the stock of one fruit preserve got low, the pavlova would change, a sort of inverse reflection of the previous seasons bounty, most of which I remember picking at the now defunct Natura Farms pick your own operation.

To be clear here: I don’t believe there’s such a thing as a bad pavlova, only slightly less good pavlova. But, after making them every which way, I have a few tips. Adding something tart is the biggest key to balance flavor.

Tips for success

  • The meringues should be a little soft on the inside–not crunchy all the way through, which makes them taste dry and brittle.
  • As much as possible, use a variety of fruit, in a variety of ways. For example, the pavlova pictured has both a chokecherry sauce, and whole, frozen wild blueberries.
  • Try to balance the sweetness. Make a syrup with vinegar instead of water, or add a good splash of lemon to frozen fruit, along with a touch of sugar.
  • In addition to adding acid to things, don’t always reach for the ice cream. Thick greek yogurt or creme fraiche is unsweetened, and the sour helps to cut through the meringue and any sugar added to the dish by way of fruit preserves.
  • Vary the texture. Nuts are winter food, and black walnuts especially add great aroma to things with dark fruit, in addition to giving a crunch here and there.
  • Candied garnishes work well too, especially citrus zest, or other bright tasting things. I used a few slices of candied angelica on the pavlova pictured.
  • Experiment with form. Like I mentioned, pavlova is basically just one form the triumvirate of cream, fruit, and meringue can take. For example, you might try crushing up meringues, mixing them with whipped cream and berries, and chilling them in glasses or custard dishes to switch it up. You can also freeze it half way and scoop it out.
  • Sometimes I add nuts to the meringues before they bake, but don’t chop or crush them too fine since the oils will deflate the meringue and create white, nut-studded cow pies.
Black, red, and white currants

These currants from 2016 were all over my first versions.

Garnishes

Here’s what I used for mine–odds and ends laying around in the freezer and pantry.

  • Chokecherry gastrique (cook chokecherries with an equal volume of white wine vinegar, strain, and simmer with an equal volume of sugar until  syrupy
  • Wild blueberries from the freezer, warmed and tossed with a dash of lemon and maple sugar
  • Silvers of candied angelica
  • Toasted butternuts
  • Frozen cream infused with meadowsweet flowers for an almond flavor

Winter pavlova with meadowsweet ice cream, chokecherry sauce, wild blueberries, butternuts and angelica

Winter pavlova with meadowsweet ice cream, chokecherry sauce, wild blueberries, butternuts and angelica
Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Winter Pavlova

Makes 12 ¼ cup meringues to serve 1 person each, or 6 larger ones to serve 2 each
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time1 hr 30 mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: fruit butter, Meringue, Pavlova, Winter Radish
Servings: 6

Equipment

  • Stand mixer or beater with whisk attachment

Ingredients

  • 3 large egg whites preferably at room temperature
  • 6.5 oz sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 t white vinegar
  • ¼ t salt

Garnishes

  • Berries, your choice Toss with a dash of lemon juice if frozen
  • Fruit syrup, especially made from berries see recipe below
  • Lightly toasted nuts use your favorite
  • Slivers of candied angelica (optional, lemon zest is a good substitute)
  • Thick greek yogurt whipped cream, Ice cream, pastry cream, and fruit curd can be substituted

Instructions

Meringues

  • Mix the sugar, cornstarch and salt, then whisk with the eggs, vinegar and vanilla and on med-high until
    tripled in volume.

  • Scoop out 1/4 cups of meringue for individual pavlovas or 1/2 cups for a shareable size onto a nonstick surface like silicone mat on a cookie sheet, leaving an inch in between them.
  • Bake at 200 for 45 minutes, then turn the heat off and allow them to cool in the oven with the door cracked. The centers should stay a bit soft, not completely hard at all.
  • Store in a container with a tight fitting lid at room temperature. They’re best served the day of, but they can hang out for a couple days if needed.

Serving

  • Take a spoon and gently tap the middle of a meringue to form a divot in the middle.
  • Place a dollop of yogurt in the middle of the meringue, then garnish with berries, nuts, fruit syrup and any other garnishes. Serve.

Notes

Walnut Meringues: You can make a great variation by adding 1/2-3/4 cup of lightly toasted nuts (especially black walnuts) to the meringue at the end of mixing, before baking, but don't chop them or their oils will make it deflate.
Giant Pavlova: You can make a giant pavlova for serving a crowd, and it makes a big statement. Just spread the meringue into a large mound, and increase the baking time a bit. 

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Nina

    February 22, 2020 at 12:03 pm

    5 stars
    I simply LOVE Pavlovas!! What looks to be the most beautiful, breathtaking masterpiece was easier for me to accomplish than a chocolate cream pie. I finally got that too though. LOL! I often reach for unsweetened yogurt to counter the sweet as well; but frozen cream infused with meadowsweet flowers . . . holy cow! That sounds amazing!! I always have meadowsweet flowers in my herb garden so this is really going to be an exciting adventurous summer. I’ve never added nuts to the meringue either. Since I have a plethora of Black Walnuts, viola!

    I’m pumped!! Thanks.

    Reply
    • Alan Bergo

      February 23, 2020 at 10:23 am

      Thanks Nina. With adding the nuts, I would just make sure they’re not chopped or broken up. And yes, meadowsweet’s in the Rosaceae, so it gives things an almond scent, kind of like elderflower, but better in my mind. It’s an underutilized aromatic, for sure.

      Reply
  2. Wenny

    February 22, 2020 at 4:00 pm

    Beautiful summer dessert.. great with passion fruits and mango… we have it every Christmas time here down under. And as for the origin of the cake, it is originated from either Australia or NZ.. it was first created when Anna Pavlova visited the countries in 1920.. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pavlova_(cake)

    Reply
    • Alan Bergo

      February 23, 2020 at 10:21 am

      Yes, I love that they’re named for her, we don’t seem to name desserts after people anymore, a shame.

      Reply
  3. Louise

    February 22, 2020 at 4:27 pm

    5 stars
    Home made jams with plain yogurt sounds divine. Adding nuts in the merangue to compliment the jam. Yummy.
    Thanks for suggesting ideas.

    Reply
    • Alan Bergo

      February 23, 2020 at 10:20 am

      Unsweetened yogurt is great for helping cut the sweetness in my book.

      Reply
  4. Judy Krohn

    February 22, 2020 at 4:38 pm

    Thank you for this inspiration; I live in an old WI farmhouse with no air-conditioning so making meringue anything during the humid months is out of the question. But in the dry, wood-heated wintertime, this will be a wonderful way to use up some of those “tipsy cherries” I made last summer!

    Reply
    • Alan Bergo

      February 23, 2020 at 10:19 am

      You’re very welcome Judy.

      Reply

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Alan Bergo
I liked the staff meal I made for Mondays shoot so I liked the staff meal I made for Mondays shoot so much we filmed it instead of the original dish I’d planned. 

Cooked natural wild rice (not the black shiny stuff) is great hot, cold, sweet or savory. It’s a perfect, filling lunch for a long day of berry picking. 

I make them with whatever I have on hand. Mushrooms will fade into the background a little here, so I use a bunch of them, along with lots of herbs and hickory nut oil + dill flowers. 

I’m eating the leftovers today back up in the barrens (hopefully) getting some more bluebs for another shoot this week w @wild.fed 

#wilwilwice #wildrice #chanterelles #campfood #castironcooking
Baby’s first homegrown mushrooms! Backyard wine Baby’s first homegrown mushrooms! Backyard wine caps on hardwood sawdust from my lumberjack buddy.

Next up blewits. Spawn from @northsporemushrooms

#winecaps #strophariaaeruginosa #allthemushroomtags
It’s wild cherry season. I’ll be picking from It’s wild cherry season. I’ll be picking from my favorite spot tomorrow a.m. and have room for a couple helpers. It’s at an event on a farm just south of St. Cloud. 

If you’re interested send me a message and I’ll raffle off the spots. Plenty of cherries to go around. I’ll be leading a short plant walk around the farm too. 

#chokecherries #foraging #prunusvirginiana #summervibes
Special thanks to the beach in Ashland for hooking Special thanks to the beach in Ashland for hooking it up with on-site garnishes. Beach pea flowers taste strong and leguminous, similar to vetch, or like a rich tasting pea shoot. 

#lathyrusjaponicus #beachpeas #peaflower #foraging #northshore #bts
Great, long day of filming in near the south shore Great, long day of filming in near the south shore of Lake Superior yesterday. 

Blueberries were sparse, and some kind of blight seems to be affecting the serviceberries. Chanterelles weren’t as good as 2020, but they were there. 

Quick dip in the Lake Superior after we broke set was a bonus. 

W/ @barebonesliving  @misterberndt @jesseroesler

#barebonesliving #foraging #lakesuperiorrocks #serviceberries #chanterelles #bts
Green ramp seed make a great lactoferment. Just pu Green ramp seed make a great lactoferment. Just put the green seeds in brine in a jar, leave for 2 weeks. 

After they’re sour they can be water bath processed, although I’ve stored them at room temp without an issue too. 

Finished product is great minced or puréed into places where you’d like garlic, capers, or both. 

Makes a great tzatziki with a little crumbled, dried bee balm. 

#tzatziki #ramps #rampseeds #foraging #fermentation
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