This time of year, I find myself defaulting to cookies and chocolates when I have a sweet treat, but isn’t it nice to make something just a little bit different, too? These Mini Pavlova with Fresh Cranberry Curd are like personal size meringues topped with tart cranberry and an abundance of fruit.
The first time I made a pavlova was for winter birthday festivities for my family. It was a double decker, two pavlovas on top of each other, and easily served the 10 or so people present. Yet the last couple years, as our gatherings have been smaller, I have been dying to make a miniature version of that celebratory dessert.
These mini pavlovas are about 4 inches in diameter, so a significant size dessert, but you can always make them slightly smaller if you would like. They bake up to have a perfectly, crunchy exterior, with a soft, marshmallow-like layer on the interior. The crunch and softness is so satisfying to eat! I love serving pavlova with something tart, and this homemade cranberry curd is SO easy, and cuts the sweetness perfectly. It is also a beautiful color that is easily festive during the holiday season.
Since these mini pavlova with fresh cranberry curd is a fruit forward dessert, I love piling it up with the best fruit I can find! This can be berries, pomegranate arils, kiwi, apple slices, pear, oranges, and the list goes on. A sprig of mint on the top is a great way to add a touch of green, too. I hope you enjoy this personal size dessert as much as I do!
Mini Pavlova with Fresh Cranberry Curd
Ingredients
Fresh Cranberry Curd*
- 1 ¼ Cups Fresh/frozen cranberries
- 1/4 Cup Water
- 1/4 Cup White sugar
- 2 Tbsp Butter unsalted
- 1 Egg
Pavlova
- 3 Egg whites
- 3/4 Cup White sugar
- 1 tsp Cornstarch
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tsp White vinegar
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
Instructions
Fresh Cranberry Curd
- Add cranberries and water to a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat until they begin to pop; about 5 minutes. Once they begin to pop, lightly mash berries to pop them open, while stirring.
- Once berries are roughly mashed, or popped, pour through sieve, keeping all of the liquid, discarding the pulp. This will yield about 1/3 cup of cranberry juice.
- Meanwhile, in a double boiler on medium heat, add cranberry juice, sugar, and butter. Let heat until the butter is melted, stirring occasionally. Let simmer for about 5 minutes until the sugar granules have dissolved. Add the egg, and whisk frequently, until the curd begins to thicken. This should take about 5 minutes. Pour into glass jar and cool before eating.
Pavlova
- Preheat oven to 250° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a mixer, beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Then add sugar slowly while continuing to mix. Once all added, mix for about 5 minutes, or until stiff peaks form. Add cornstarch and salt and beat in well.
- With a spatula, fold in the vinegar and vanilla until incorporated. Then, spoon the mixture into 4 circles on the parchment. Each one will use about 2/3 cup of the batter, and will be 3-4 inches wide. The most important thing is that they are all about equal sizes. Smooth out the tops.
- Bake at 250° F for 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes. Then without opening the oven, turn oven off and let sit int oven for an additional 30 minutes. Remove from oven, top with cranberry curd, and serve.
Notes
