The great Aussie Pavlova! With my recipe video and easy to follow tips that make all the difference, you’ll nail this classic Pavlova recipe every single time.
With a delicate meringue crust on the outside, soft marshmallow on the inside, topped with cream and seasonal fruit, the pav always steals the show at gatherings!
Pavlova
There is no greater summer dessert than the great Aussie Pav!
Pavlova is one of those desserts that is notoriously easy yet notoriously difficult. I think many people are scared to make it. Others have lamented that you should just accept that it will come out of the oven quite cracked.
Though I’m going to be sharing my tips for a perfect near-flawless pav (including a few you may have never heard of before!), first up, let me be clear about one thing – it does not matter if it cracks!! Even if it cracks severely.
Just do your best to piece it back together, using cream as a glue and to hide the worst cracks. It only needs to hold together for you to place it on the table, for everyone to ooh and ah over it, for you to have your moment of glory.
The minute it gets cut to serve it up, it doesn’t matter. Even a perfect pav looks like a mess once it starts being served!
But as it so happens, if you follow my tips, I’m confident you’ll have a crack-less near-flawless Pav… 😉
With the recipe video and my secret tips, this Pavlova recipe is easy to follow and you’ll nail it every single time!
Tips for a perfect pavlova
I’ve seen many “no-fail pavlova” tip lists, but I’ve never seen a list with all of these, mainly because some of them are my own, discovered after many trial and errors!
1. Measure the egg whites by volume. This is a big tip! “4 egg whites” can range from anywhere between 100ml / 3oz – 180ml/6oz depending on the size of the eggs + how much egg white you manage to get out of each egg. The amount of egg whites used is key to a successful Pav!
2. Don’t use freshly laid eggs. Really, older eggs fluff up better! Make sure the eggs are circa 5 days+ old. Store bought eggs are a safe bet. 🙂
3. Separate the eggs while fridge cold. Trust me, it’s so much easier than when they’re at room temperature. PS If you’re new to separating yolks from whites, just crack the eggs into your hand and let the whites slide through between your fingers. Jiggle your hand slightly to get all the whites off the yolk, and you’ll be left with just the yolk sitting in your fingers.
4. Not even a drop of yolk is allowed! Even a bit of yolk can ruin the whole batch i.e. it won’t fluff up. So if you accidentally get yolk in your whites, you can try scooping it out using a shell (also good tip for picking out shell bits) but if you think there’s any chance it has tainted the rest of the whites, start again. It isn’t worth the risk!
5. Bring egg whites to room temperature. They fluff up much better. So separate while cold, then bring to room temperature.
6. Make sure your bowls and whisk are clean and dry. Grease and water can stop whites from fluffing.
7. Use an inverted cake pan. For shaping (saves you drawing a circle on paper) and also ease of transferring the Pav to a platter. There is nothing sadder than pulling a perfect Pav out of the oven, only to have it crack when transferring it to the serving platter!
Tips continued below photo….you didn’t think I was done, did you? 😉
8. WEATHER WARNING!!! Heat and humidity. As it happens, Pav is a summer dessert but it is not conducive to being made in hot humid weather. It can cause the Pav to collapse during or after baking. I don’t know the exact temperatures and humidity % cut off points and had a number of epic failures before I figure out tips #9 – #13. Using the tips below, the Pav in the photos were made last week during a heat wave when it was 33C/91F and humidity was 65 – 75%. So if it is hot and humid where you are, do not skip #8 onwards, they were created especially for the Aussie summer!!!
9. Bigger is better….except in summer ? I know, I know. You want to do a giant pav. But honestly, for the sake of a Pav that doesn’t collapse on you, stick with 4 eggs. I can’t stress that enough. I’m speaking from experience here, having tried a few 6 egg pavs a few weeks ago. A 4 egg Pav will serve 8 -10 easily. 4 eggs doesn’t sound like much, but this expands. Any larger, and the risk of severe cracking is really high. At least, in hot humid weather. You can do giant Pavs in cooler months!
10. Don’t make it too tall. The taller the Pav, the greater the risk of collapse / severe cracking. In summer, I wouldn’t go higher than 5cm/2″. It will expand to about 7cm / 2.7″. You can do your taller Pavs in cooler months. 🙂
11. Make the edges sloped / dome like shape. Yes, a perfect cake-like shaped Pav with vertical smooth edges is pretty. But it’s also the most fragile shape. The shape of my Pav, almost like a dome but with a flat top, is the safest. Having the rugged surface also helps provide stability I find. (Really hoping an engineer reading this can explain why this is so in simple English, this is beyond my capabilities. I just know they are much more stable shaped like this!)
12. Preheat oven to a high temp, then turn down. The initial high temp really helps to get that crust kick started to stabilise the meringue.
13. Bake on a very low temp for longer – This keeps your Pav nice and white (so pretteee!). I bake mine at 100C /210f (fan/convection) or 115C / 240F (standard). Also baking for longer at a lower temp again helps with stability (higher temp can cause Pav to puff too fast which then collapses later).
14. No peeking and no thundering through the kitchen!! Seriously, I am NOT joking. Peeking = loss of heat / door slamming = collapsed Pav. Thundering through kitchen with timber floors (I’m glaring at a certain giant fur ball as I write that) = collapsed Pav.
15. Leave in oven overnight. Or all day. Letting it cool down gradually = less cracking risk. Also in summer, especially on hot humid days, where better to leave the Pav than in a sealed almost-airtight oven?
16. BE GENTLE when topping the Pav! Hanging my head in shame. I once tipped a bowl of strawberries on a Pav and watched in dismay as it sank. Place the topping on gently by hand.
17. Make extra cream. No, not for serving. To use as glue / disguise cracks / in case it sinks. Remember the beauty of the Pav – even in a severely destroyed state, it can still be made to look pretty with cream and fruit!
Follow those tips for my Pavlova recipe, and this is what will come out of the oven even on a 33C/91F day – a near perfect Pav. ?
Top with cream and berries, or whatever fruit you want! I totally forgot to put passionfruit on this. I do feel like passionfruit and Pav is just quintessentially Aussie!
And that moment when you place if on the table, when everyone oohs and aaahs over the beautiful Pav…lap it up. You totally deserve it. 😉
Marshmallow on the inside. The softest most delicate meringue on the outside. Smothered in softly whipped cream and piled high with fruit… I truly cannot think of a great Aussie summer dessert. – Nagi x
More Aussie favourites
- Scones – and Lemonade Scones 3 ingredient shortcut scones!
- Pikelets
- Caramel Slice
- Lamingtons
- Sausage Rolls
- Party Pies
Pavlova recipe
Watch how to make it
Pavlova recipe video! Excuse the lighting and colour balance, it’s all over the place because it was filmed over a couple of days. 😇
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.

Pavlova!!
Ingredients
- 150 ml / 5 oz egg whites (4-5 eggs fridge cold eggs) (Note 1)
- 1 cup / 220g caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- 1 tbsp cornflour / cornstarch, sifted
- 1 tsp white vinegar
Cream
- 1 1/2 cups / 375 ml thickened cream / heavy cream (any whipping cream)
- 1/4 cup / 55g cup caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or essence
Topping
- Fruit of choice. I used: raspberries, blueberries, strawberries and cherries.
Instructions
- Separate the whites and yolks while eggs are cold. Measure 150 ml/5oz egg whites (140 - 160ml is ok).
- Set whites aside to come to room temperature.
- Preheat oven to 150C/300F (fan / convection) / 170C/340F (standard).
- Place whites in a bowl. Use a stand mixer (I use speed 7) or handheld beater (high) and beat until soft peaks form (Note 2)
- Add sugar 1 tbsp at a time, beating as you go. (Note 3)
- After adding the sugar, beat for a further 3 minutes or until thick and glossy. Rub a little of the fluff between your fingers, there should be no sugar grit - that means it is ready.
- Add cornflour and vinegar, beat on low for 5 - 7 seconds (or fold through with spatula) until just mixed through.
Making the Pav (Note 4)
- Get the base of a springform cake pan (24cm/9.5" or larger) and turn it upside down. Dab meringue on the edge and place a piece of baking paper (parchment paper) on top.
- Gently place half the fluff onto the paper. Use the cake pan as a guide to make it round and coax it into a circle shape around 20cm / 8" in diameter (Note 5).
- Carefully scoop out the remaining fluff. Now coax it into a dome shape (not a cake with straight smooth sides) with edges sloping in slightly. Flatten top. Make it 4-5cm / 2 " high - not much higher. (Note 5). See video / photos in post. It will rise/expand.
- Transfer to baking tray. CAREFULLY place in the oven, GENTLY close the door and turn oven DOWN to 100C/210F (fan / convection) / 115C/240F (standard).
- Bake for 1 1/2 hours - no peeking, no thundering through kitchen! (Note 6)
- Turn oven off, leave the door closed and leave Pav in the oven overnight to cool (I've done 18 hours).
- Transfer Pav to serving platter then slide cake pan out from underneath. Use butter knife if required to loosen edges from paper, then slide paper out from underneath.
- Just before serving, top with cream and fruit of choice.
- Serve and be a rock star!
Topping
- Place cream, sugar and vanilla in a bowl. Beat cream until it is thickened and just holds its shape - don't overbeat, it should be silky smooth, not speckled with bubbles and stiff.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
LIFE OF DOZER
Waiting for the Pav to fall on the ground….
I’ve been making pavlova for years. I live in a hot, humid climate and wanted to try a different recipe yesterday. This was my best yet. Absolutely perfect texture. I think next time I’ll hold off a bit on the sugar bit it really was a showstopper. I topped it with passion fruit and strawberries.
So happy to hear you got a great result Jodi! Thanks for leaving a comment! – Nx
please correct your recipe which call for “corn starch” but in your instructions on step 7 it incorrectly states to add “corn flower”. I will try your recipe when it is corrected. thanks.
Hi Enrique, corn starch and corn flour is the same thing depending on where you are located – N x
Made this yesterday for a bbq and it was a hit! I’ve always been intimidated by pavlovas especially because I live in a hot and humid place! I’m glad I found your recipe. I doubled it and made it rectangular as I had to feed so many people. Definitely will be making this again. Thank you! xx
That’s great to hear Liz, I’m so glad you loved it!
I have never written a recipe review but had to for the 1st time. I’ve been baking for years but never made a pavlova until last week for my birthday in a Chicago suburb. I followed all your tips and it was a huge success. It didn’t crack until I (gently) piled way too much fruit on the top. Now my husband wants one for his birthday! I don’t see how to attach a photo of my beauty but I’ll try emailing it to you separately.
Sounds great Lorraine!!!
Just wanted to say a huge thank you for providing a fail safe pavlova recipe. I used to be famous for my pavlova at family celebrations but for the last few years have been really disappointed with my pavlovas. I made this yesterday and was so happy that it turned out perfectly after following your instructions. Thank you my pavlova mojo is back xx
Have you ever tried lining the base and a separate collar around the side of a springform tin to get straight sides Nagi? I think I read that somewhere. Cheers.
Hi Lorraine, no I’ve never bothered as I prefer the rustic look with crunchy sides ☺️
Yes, love crunchy sides. And the bits that drop off!
I’ll fight you for them 😂
Really pleased with the result. Easy to follow instructions and plenty of compliments from my friends.
That’s awesome Julie!!
Made this tonight for my birthday dessert and I enjoyed cooking it and my family all enjoyed eating it. The inside of my base pulled apart a bit from the crunchy outside though, leaving a little hollow gap. Any idea what might have caused that?
Hi Jodi, sometimes that can happen just because of how it bakes/cools or even possibly because of how stiff the meringue is. I’m glad you enjoyed it though!
I am going to make this for a baby shower – can I add a pink food coloring to it? If so when should I add it? Also I want to make mini ones for easier serving. Will the smaller sizes change the baking time?
Hi Theresa, you can fold through colouring at step 7 and if making smaller pavlovas, I’d bake for an hour and just check to make sure they are crisp – N x
I don’t have any caster sugar. Can I use just normal white sugar?
Sure thing Erika just beat well and make sure to do the test rubbing it between your fingers per video to ensure sugar dissolved 👍🏻
My issue with pavlovas is usually the ‘eggy’ smell … any tips to manage this? Thanks!
I’ve never noticed an eggy smell!
How would you use passionfruit in the recipe? I will use the juice for the whipping cream but what about the seeds?
I usually just drizzle passionfruit pulp including seeds over the fruit at the end ☺️
Easy to make, absolutely delicious and it delivers the ‘wow’ factor for company and family. Don’t make it if it’s just you at home: daaangerous because it’s sooo good.
I know!!! So dangerous.. but sooo good!
My husband and I have been watching the Great Brittish Bake Off show, and after seeing the episode where they made Pavlova, I knew I needed to try it for his birthday (which is today)! I’m NOT a baker, but I found your recipe incredibly easy to follow, and I really appreciated the helpful tips since I had no clue what I was doing. The pavlova layer is in the oven cooling right now, and it looks fantastic so far! I can’t wait to dig in 🙂 Thanks for the great instructions!
I hope you both loved it Erin, I hope hubby had a great birthday!
My first time making pavlova and this came out perfectly. Thank you so much for all your tips Nagi, they truly make all the difference 🙂
My mum is from New Zealand and I grew up eating pavlova. It is now a tradition for me to make them for a big Christmas Eve dinner we have with friends each year. I love your recipe because it explains all the intricacies of pavlova better than anywhere I have seen and more detailed than I would ever write. When people ask for the recipe I can pass yours on to them without hesitation.
Thank you SO much for assisting me to make a perfect pavlova for our family Christmas. I followed all your tips and the result was spectacular… after a lifelong history of pav fails!
Perfectly crispy meringue outside, soft chewy inside. Amazing! We followed all the tips and notes. The hound missed the bit about NOT galloping through the kitchen during the cooling stage. We served this light, fluffy cloud of a dessert after Christmas Eve dinner, topped with fresh whipped cream, blueberries, gooseberries, and (of course) kiwis. Your notes and tips are soooooo helpful. (What do you mean I no longer need to draw a circle with a pencil on parchment? LOL … gives head a shake!) Delicious all around, thank you again.
Wow! That is soooo pretty! I have never had Pavlova, and clearly must rectify that omission in my life experience! Fruit isn’t so great here right now, but if I can find a super-ripe pineapple, maybe! Or will wait for berry season, I guess. But, I gotta try that!!!
thank you for all your cooking tips.cooking your turkey for christmas lunch-feeling confident, as all your recipes i have tried have been excellent.Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Is There a way to make pavlava so it isn’t too sweet?
Hi Liz, you can’t really reduce the sugar in this recipe – that’s how the meringue is made and it’s just sweet, that’s what pavlovas are ❤️