Christmas Pavlova Wreath
A stunning Christmas pavlova wreath that’s fluffy & marshmallowy in the middle & topped with vanilla whipped cream, poached pears, clementines & pomegranate seeds.
You really can’t go wrong with a homemade pavlova & this one’s perfect for when you’re hosting over Christmas! We’re shaping the meringue into a rustic wreath shape then topping it with some fluffy vanilla whipped cream, fragrant vanilla poached pears, clementine slices, pomegranate seeds & fresh mint.
The great thing about this pavlova is that it’s really easy to make & most of the prep time is hands off. The meringue is dried out in the oven overnight, the toppings are prepared in the meantime then everything comes together last minute. Every component is super easy to prepare & they all complement each other perfectly. This pavlova wreath is full of festive flavours, looks really impressive & the meringue is super fluffy & marshmallowy on the inside. What’s not to like?!
For more dessert inspiration, take a look at our ever growing collection of dessert recipes! And for more festive desserts, check out our Christmas recipe collection.
What You’ll Need
- Egg Whites – Room temperature egg whites whip better, so make sure not to use egg whites straight out of the fridge! If your egg whites are cold, let them sit out for an hour or so before using them. For this recipe, you’ll need 240 grams of egg whites, which equates to 8 large eggs. I’ve found that it’s best to separate eggs yourself instead of using a carton of egg whites, as these tend not to whip up as easily.
- Sugar – You’ll need caster sugar for the meringue & poached pears and icing sugar for the whipped cream.
- White Wine Vinegar – A small amount of vinegar in the meringue helps stabilise it, preventing it from collapsing, weeping or cracking.
- Cornflour – Cornflour also helps stabilise meringue & also helps give pavlova its’ signature fluffy, marshmallowy inside.
- Toppings – I topped my pavlova with whipped cream, poached pears, clementine slices, pomegranate seeds mixed with honey & a few sprigs of fresh mint. Feel free to top yours with something else if you’d prefer though.
How To Make A Pavlova Wreath
A pavlova wreath might look difficult to make but trust me, it’s actually super easy! We’re making a classic French meringue, shaping it into a rustic wreath shape, baking it in the oven then letting it cool in the turned off oven, overnight. Just before serving the next day, the pavlova is topped with cream & fruit.
There’s a few handy tips & tricks included in this recipe that will help avoid some classic meringue issues, including cracking, weeping & under/over baking. Plus, we’re also including how to properly whip cream for pavlova as well as how to prep a few different festive toppings.
French Meringue
A pavlova wreath is made the same way as a regular pavlova, the only difference is how we shape it before baking. There’s a visual guide on how to shape meringue into a wreath shape below but it’s meant to be rustic so don’t worry if it’s not completely uniform. It’s getting covered with whipped cream & fruit anyway!
It’s important to make sure that your mixing bowl is clean & dry before making your meringue, otherwise it won’t whisk up properly! You’ll also need to line a large baking tray with baking parchment & preheat an oven to 160°c/320°f. I like to use a plate to draw a 9″ circle onto the parchment to use as a guide when shaping the wreath.
- Whisk Whites To Soft Peaks
First, we add room temperature egg whites into the bowl of a stand then whisk to soft peaks on a medium speed. This will take 2-3 minutes. - Add In Sugar
Next, we turn the mixer speed down slightly then add in caster sugar a tablespoon at a time, making sure to let each addition incorporate fully before adding in more. I find that adding a spoonful of sugar in every 20 seconds or so is best. - Whisk To Stiff Peaks
Once all the sugar has been added, we turn the mixer back up to medium then continue whisking for 15-20 minutes, until the meringue has reached stiff peaks and is thick & glossy. To check if the meringue is ready, rub it between your thumb & index finger. If it feels smooth, it’s ready but if it feels gritty then it needs more whisking. - Add In Cornflour & Vinegar
Next, we add cornflour & vinegar to the meringue then whisk for another minute or so (on medium), until combined. We transfer the meringue into a piping bag once it’s ready & cut the end off, around 2 inches from the tip. - Shape Into A Wreath
To shape the meringue into a wreath, we pipe 8 domes of meringue into a ring shape using the circle we drew onto the parchment as a guide. Next, we use a spoon to shape the meringue into a wreath that’s roughly 6-8cm tall, with a flattish top that has a shallow channel running around the middle, which is where the toppings will sit! I then like to use a palette knife (or fork) to give the outside a few decorative swoops & peaks. - Bake
Once shaped, we place the pavlova wreath into the preheated oven then immediately turn it down to 110°c/230°f & bake for an hour & a half, until the meringue is dry to the touch & comes off the baking paper when lifted up really gently. - Leave To Cool
As soon as the pavlova is baked, we turn the oven off then let it cool completely whilst still inside the oven. This will take at least 4 hours but I find that leaving it overnight is best.
Christmas Pavlova Toppings
This pavlova wreath is designed to be served at Christmas, so I’ve gone with some easy yet tasty festive toppings. When making a pavlova, it’s often best to keep things simple & go with just a few toppings. I’ve gone with some vanilla whipped cream, poached pears, clementine slices, pomegranate seeds & a few sprigs of mint.
To assemble the pavlova, we spread the whipped cream on first then top with the poached pears. Next, I like to arrange the clementine slices between the poached pears then spoon the pomegranate seeds over the top. To finish, we place a few sprigs of fresh mint between the fruit. I’ve found that it’s best to assemble the pavlova on the tray that it was baked on, as it will probably break if you try to move it!
Vanilla Whipped Cream
Whipped cream for pavlova should be very softly whipped, sweetened with a small amount of icing sugar & flavoured with some good quality vanilla; either paste or a scraped out pod. For the best texture, it’s best to whip up the cream just before serving.
Making this whipped cream is super easy! We add cold double cream into a mixing bowl then add in sifted icing sugar & a generous amount of vanilla paste. Next, we just need to whisk the cream to soft peaks, either by hand or with an electric hand mixer. It’s key not to over whisk the cream, it should just be at soft peaks!
Poached Pears
Next up, we have some tender, flavourful poached pears that are cooked in a simple vanilla sugar syrup. These are best made the day before you need them so that they’re completely cool when we serve the pavlova. We’re storing the poached pears in the syrup, to infuse the fruit with extra flavour.
Here’s how to perfectly poach some pears…
- First, make the poaching syrup. To do this, place caster sugar, water & a scraped out vanilla pod into a pan then warm over a low heat to dissolve the sugar. The poaching liquid should be hot but not boiling when we add the pears in.
- In the meantime, peel the pears, cut in half then use a melon baller (or a teaspoon/small cookie scoop) to scoop out the core. Cut each pear half in half again then use a knife to lightly trim the core from the top part of the pears.
- Place the pears into the vanilla syrup then cover the surface with a piece of baking paper (a cartouche) then cook gently until just tender. This will take 15-25 minutes, depending on how ripe your pears are. To check the pears, give them a poke with a skewer. They’ll feel soft once cooked but not mushy. They should still hold their shape!
- Take the pan off the heat, let the poached pears cool in the syrup then store in the fridge until needed. Store the pears & syrup together in the same container.
Clementines, Pomegranates & Mint
The rest of the topping are prepared last minute. We’re talking thinly sliced clementines, pomegranate seeds that have been mixed with some honey & a few sprigs of fresh mint. To prepare the clementines, we cut the skin & pith off the outside then slice the flesh. For the pomegranates, we cut them in half then use a spoon to knock the seeds out, into a bowl then we mix them with a spoonful of honey.
Tips & Tricks
- To prevent cracking, turn your oven off once the pavlova is baked then let it cool overnight in the oven.
- Add a small amount of vinegar & cornflour into the meringue, to stabilise it. This helps prevent the pavlova from cracking, collapsing or weeping.
- Make sure not to over mix the meringue as this can make it collapse. Your meringue should be at stiff peaks once fully mixed. Also, make sure to add the sugar into the meringue a small amount at a time, otherwise you’ll end up with an unstable, grainy meringue!
- When making the cream for pavlova topping, it should be very softly whipped, lightly sweetened with icing sugar & flavoured with a good quality vanilla paste.
- For the best results, assemble your pavlova wreath just before serving. This prevents the pavlova from going soggy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pavlova wreaths are very delicate & will start to soften due to the moisture in the air if made too far ahead of time. For the best results, pavlovas are best served straight away or within a day of being made. Make sure to store your un topped pavlova in an airtight container if you’re not serving it straight away!
Once your pavlova is ready, the outside will feel crisp & dry but the meringue will still be a bright white colour. A large pavlova wreath will take around 1½ hours to dry out in the oven.
A leftover pavlova wreath that has toppings on will keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. It’s best to cover your pavlova with clingfilm or store it in an airtight container to keep it fresh.
Adding something acidic to meringue, like vinegar helps stabilise the meringue meaning that it won’t collapse or weep as it dries out in the oven. White wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar is best as they won’t affect how the meringue tastes (we only add in a small amount!). For this reason, I wouldn’t recommend leaving the vinegar out of the meringue.
Pavlova will weep if the sugar in the meringue hasn’t been dissolved properly or if the meringue was over mixed or under baked. To prevent pavlova from weeping, make sure to whisk the meringue until it no longer feels gritty between your fingers & stop whisking once it has reached stiff peaks. Also, make sure to bake the pavlova until the outside feels crisp & dry then turn your oven off & let the meringue cool inside.
Pavlova is very sensitive to sudden temperature changes so will crack if your oven is too hot or if you don’t let it cool inside the oven (when it’s turned off!) before taking it out. Don’t worry if you do end up with a couple of cracks in your meringue, it just happens sometimes!
More Christmas Desserts To Try!
- Baileys Vanilla Panna Cottas
- Mince Pie Panettone Treacle Tart
- Individual Christmas Baked Alaskas
- Deep Fried Mince Pies
- Guinness Christmas Pudding
- Baileys Vanilla Rice Pudding
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Christmas Pavlova Wreath
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
- Large Baking Tray
- Piping Bag
- Saucepan
Ingredients
Pavlova
- 240 g Egg Whites (Room Temperature – See Notes)
- 400 g Caster Sugar
- 15 g Cornflour
- 2 tsp White Wine Vinegar
Poached Pears
- 4 Conference Pears
- 400 ml Water
- 200 g Caster Sugar
- Half A Vanilla Pod
Whipped Cream
- 400 g Double Cream
- 30 g Icing Sugar (Sifted)
- 1 tsp Vanilla Paste
Toppings
- 6 Clementines
- 1 Pomegranate
- 1 tbsp Honey
- A Few Sprigs Of Fresh Mint
Instructions
Pavlova Wreath
- Line a large baking tray with baking parchment then draw a 9" circle onto the parchment with a pen. Flip the parchment over so that the pen is underneath.I used a plate as a guide!
- Add the egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer then whisk on a medium speed to soft peaks. This will take 2-3 minutes.
- Next, turn the mixer speed down slightly then add in the caster sugar a tablespoon at a time, making sure to let the sugar mix in fully before adding in more. I find that adding a spoonful of sugar in every 20 seconds or so is best.
- Once all the sugar has been added, turn the mixer back up to medium then continue whisking for 15-20 minutes, until the meringue has reached stiff peaks and is thick & glossy.Whilst your meringue is whisking to stiff peaks, preheat an oven to 160°c/140°c fan (320°f/284°f).If you're using a KitchenAid, speed 4-5 is best when whisking the meringue to stiff peaks. To check if the meringue is ready, rub it between your thumb & index finger. If it feels smooth, it's ready but if it feels grainy, more whisking is needed.
- Add the cornflour & vinegar to the meringue then whisk for another minute or so (on medium), until combined.
- Transfer the meringue to a piping bag then pipe 8 domes onto the baking tray, in a ring shape, using the circle that you drew onto the parchment as a guide.I find that cutting the end of the piping bag off 2 inches from the tip is best as this allows us to pipe a large dome of meringue in one go. If you dab a small amount of meringue on each corner of the tray, underneath the parchment then it won't move!
- Next, use a palette knife or spoon to shape the meringue into a rustic wreath shape that's around 6-8cm tall. The wreath should have a flat (ish) top, with a slight channel around the middle so that the filling has somewhere to sit. I like to use a fork/palette knife to give the outside a few decorative swoops/peaks.See the post above for a visual guide on how to shape the meringue!
- Once shaped, place the tray into the preheated oven then immediately turn the temperature down to 110°c/90°c fan (230°f/194°f). Bake for 1½ hours then turn the oven off & leave to cool for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight.Once done, the pavlova should be crisp & dry on the outside but should still be white. If your meringue isn't ready after 1½ hours, give it another 10-15 minutes. The pavlova is cooled inside the oven to stop it from cracking. Make sure to keep your oven door shut!
Poached Pears
- Add the water & sugar into a medium saucepan then scrape the seeds out of the vanilla beans & add in as well. Set over a low heat & warm gently to dissolve the sugar.Add both the pod & seeds into the pan! It's best to make the pears the day before you need them.
- Whilst the syrup heats up, peel the pears then cut in half & use a melon baller (or teaspoon) to scoop out the cores. Cut each pear half in half again (to make pear quarters!) then use a knife to lightly trim the core from the top part of the pears.
- Next, add the pears into the vanilla syrup then cover the surface with a piece of baking paper (a cartouche) then cook gently until just tender. This will take 15-25 minutes, depending on how ripe your pears are.Use a skewer to check if the pears are cooked. They'll feel soft when they're ready.
- Once cooked, take the pan off the heat & let the pears cool in the syrup. Then transfer the pears & syrup into a container & chill in the fridge until needed.
Whipped Cream – Make Just Before Serving!
- Add the cream, icing sugar & vanilla paste into a mixing bowl then whisk to soft peaks. You can do this by hand or with an electric hand mixer.Make sure not to over whip the cream!
Toppings
- Cut the pomegranate in half then hold a piece, cut side down over a bowl. Use a spoon to tap the skin side of the pomegranate half to knock the seeds out. Repeat with the other half then stir in the honey.Pick out any white pith that's in the bowl with the seeds before adding in the honey.
- To prep the clementines, use a small knife to cut off the skin & pith then cut the fruit into thin slices. For the mint, pick small sprigs off the stalks.
Assembly
- First, spoon the whipped cream on top of the pavlova then spread out into an even layer.It's best to assemble the pavlova on the baking tray, as it will most likely break if you try to move it!
- Top the whipped cream with the poached pears & clementine slices then spoon over the pomegranate seeds. Garnish with the mint sprigs then cut into portions & serve!Try not to get too much of the pear syrup on the pavlova as it will make it soggy. It can be saved to serve with ice cream, yogurt or fresh fruit!
