Pavlova with seasonal fruit recipe

Julia Busuttil Nishimura's go-to dessert for a quintessential Australian Christmas

Learn how to make Pavlova with seasonal fruit with our simple recipe

Home cook and author Julia Busuttil Nishimura knows a thing or two about cooking simple and delicious food that everybody loves.

“This is quintessential Australian Christmas! It's such a nice way to finish a meal because it's quite light and not overly sweet. Make the zesty meringue shell the day before, then all you have to do is top it right before serving. It’s a lovely blank canvas to showcase the best fresh seasonal produce,” says Julia.

Ingredients - Pavlova Shell (Serves 8)

  • 5 egg whites
  • 250g caster sugar
  • 1 scant tbsp cornflour
  • 2 tsp white vinegar
  • Zest of 1 lime

Ingredients - Topping

  • 300g crème fraîche
  • 300g pure cream
  • Seasonal fruit such as mango, lychee, passionfruit, for topping
  • 1/4 cup flaked coconut, lightly toasted to serve

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 120C. Line a round tray with baking paper and set aside.
  2. Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt in an electric mixer until soft peaks form.
  3. Gradually add the sugar, 1tbsp at a time, until mixture is stiff and glossy and all sugar has dissolved. Gently stir in the cornflour, vinegar and lime zest.
  4. Pile the meringue onto the baking sheet and spread into a circle, around 25cm in diameter. Keep the sides high and create a slight dip in the middle.
  5. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 2 hours. It should be crisp on the outside but not coloured. Turn off the oven, leave the door ajar, and allow to cool in the oven for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight. Gently transfer cooled pavlova shell to a serving dish or store in an airtight container if not serving immediately.
  6. Meanwhile, whip the crème fraîche and cream in an electric mixer until soft peaks form.
  7. Pile the cream onto the pavlova shell and top with your chosen fruit and coconut flakes. Serve immediately.

Dessert Wine Match

“When you’re shifting to dessert you want to remove the tannins because you’re most likely having a trifle, tiramisu or Christmas pudding. And with that sweetness, you need to bring harmony with some sweetness in the wine,” explains Dan Murphy’s Ascot Vale Wine Merchant Nick Veanes.

Recommended wine match: Zonzo Estate Moscato 750ml. “The flavour will go really well with a pavlova or trifle, something a bit creamy with touches of stone fruit,” says Nick.

Discover more recipes, drink matches, and entertaining tips in our The Less Work, More Joy Guide to Holiday Entertaining.

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