Description
Pavlova Bombs are delightful individual meringue domes filled with tangy lemon curd, vibrant raspberry coulis, and whipped cream, topped with pistachios and fresh raspberries. Baked low and slow to achieve a crisp exterior and marshmallow-like center, these elegant bombs are perfect for a stunning dessert that invites a fun smash to reveal its luscious layers.
Ingredients
Scale
Meringue
- 80 ml / 1/3 cup egg whites (from 3 large eggs)
- 2/3 cup caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- 1 1/4 tsp cornflour / cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp white vinegar
Raspberry Coulis
- Fresh or frozen raspberries (for coulis preparation, quantity as desired)
- Sugar (to taste for coulis)
- Optional lemon juice (to balance)
Lemon Curd
- 3 egg yolks (leftover from the pavlova whites)
- Lemon juice and zest
- Butter
- Sugar
Whipped Cream
- 1 cup heavy/thickened cream, cold
- 1 1/2 tbsp caster sugar / superfine sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Garnish and Assembly
- 1 1/2 tbsp unsalted pistachios, finely chopped
- 5 mint sprigs
- 20 raspberries
- Icing sugar / powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 150°C / 325°F. This initial high temperature helps set the meringue structure before lowering the temperature for baking.
- Prepare Egg Whites: Separate egg yolks from whites while cold. Measure out 80 ml (1/3 cup) of egg whites and let them come to room temperature for 15 minutes for better volume when whipped.
- Whip Egg Whites and Sugar: Using a stand mixer or electric beater, whip egg whites on high speed for 1 minute. Gradually add 2/3 cup caster sugar over 1 minute while continuing to beat.
- Continue Beating: Beat the mixture on high for 5 minutes until fluffy and glossy without graininess. Then fold in 1/4 tsp vinegar and 1 1/4 tsp cornflour and beat for an additional 30 seconds.
- Prepare Baking Trays: Line two baking trays with parchment paper. Dab a bit of mixture on the corner of trays to help stick the paper if needed.
- Pipe Mounds: Transfer meringue mixture into a large piping bag fitted with a 2cm wide nozzle. Pipe 5 large mounds on the trays. Shape each mound into a dome about 4cm wide and 6.5cm tall using an offset spatula or butter knife.
- Bake Meringues: Immediately lower oven temperature to 110°C / 225°F (100°C fan) and bake for 1 hour 30 minutes until dry to touch, especially at the base. If sticky, keep baking a little longer.
- Cool in Oven: Turn the oven off and leave pavlovas inside to cool completely for 3 hours or ideally overnight (about 10 hours) to ensure they dry out fully without cracking.
- Make Lemon Curd and Raspberry Coulis: While pavlovas bake, prepare lemon curd using the reserved egg yolks, lemon juice, zest, sugar, and butter by simmering and thickening then chilling. Make raspberry coulis by simmering raspberries with sugar, straining, and chilling until ready.
- Whip Cream: Just before assembling, beat 1 cup cold heavy cream with 1 1/2 tbsp caster sugar and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract until soft peaks form, about 45 seconds with a stand mixer.
- Prepare Piping Bags: Fill separate small piping bags with raspberry coulis, lemon curd, and whipped cream. Snip about 5 mm off the raspberry coulis tip and 1 cm off the cream tip for filling and decoration.
- Create Filling Hole: Place a pavlova upside down in a muffin tin for stability. Cut a 1 cm hole in the center of its base using a small sharp knife.
- Make Room for Filling: Gently insert a chopstick into the hole and carefully push aside some marshmallow center inside the pavlova to create space for fillings without breaking the dome.
- Fill Pavlova Bomb: Pipe about 1 1/2 tsp raspberry coulis into the hole, followed by 2–3 tsp lemon curd. Finally, plug the hole with whipped cream.
- Plate and Decorate: Pipe approximately 2 tablespoons of whipped cream onto a serving plate, place the pavlova bomb on it to prevent sliding. Then pipe and spread additional cream on top. Garnish with a fresh raspberry, mint sprig, chopped pistachios, and lightly dust with icing sugar.
- Serve and Smash: Serve immediately. Encourage guests to smash their pavlova bombs to enjoy the combination of crisp meringue, soft marshmallow center, tart lemon curd, and bright raspberry coulis all in one bite.
Notes
- Use room temperature egg whites to achieve maximum fluffiness when whipping.
- Do not reduce the sugar in the meringue; it is essential for structure and texture.
- Vinegar and cornflour help stabilize the meringue and create a marshmallow-like interior.
- Cooling the pavlovas inside the switched-off oven prevents cracking due to sudden temperature changes.
- If you don’t have piping bags, use a plastic sandwich bag with the corner snipped off for piping the fillings and cream.
