This Dreamy Summer Dessert Is Perfect for Strawberry Lovers

Crisp meringue, lightly sweetened whipped cream, and fresh strawberries make this a wonderfully light summertime dessert.

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Published May 30, 2025

Strawberry pavlova dessert on a stand with table setting — Serious Eats / Qi Ai

Why It Works

Slowly adding the sugar to the egg whites as it whips ensures it will dissolve properly.
Cornstarch helps absorb excess moisture in the meringue, preventing it from weeping.
Baking the meringues at a low temperature and allowing them to gradually cool in the oven prevents them from cracking.

The first time I made pavlova—an elegant dessert of baked meringues, fruit, and whipped cream—it was a disaster. Early in my career, I was commissioned by a local catering hall to make around 100 individual pavlovas for a dinner honoring an Australian food personality. Up to this point, the only time that I'd made anything resembling a pavlova was for a plated dessert composed of a completely crisp meringue shell holding a mousse.

So off I went, full steam ahead, and baked up 100 shells that were crackly crisp from the outside to the center. To make matters worse, I practically shrink-wrapped the boxes to make sure that they would stay completely crisp. All was successful, I thought, until some months later, when I came across a truly proper recipe that explained that a good pavlova meringue is crisp on the outside with a marshmallow-y soft center. Oops. I can only imagine the sound of folks clumsily shattering through the crunchy meringue, with bits of dried egg white flying everywhere.

Unlike the pavlova I made years ago, this one is foolproof...and is crisp on the outside, but still tender on the inside. To prevent my meringue from collapsing, I whip it at a slower speed for longer, which creates a stronger foam that's less likely to deflate. Cornstarch gives the meringue its pillowy center while also helping to absorb excess liquid, and a touch of almond flour provides a hint of nuttiness. I keep the filling simple with macerated strawberries and billows of fresh whipped cream—both of which are lightly sweetened to balance the sugary meringue. Be sure to eat it soon after you assemble it, as the dessert will only keep a short time once the strawberry juice begins to seep into the meringue.

Strawberry pavlova dessert on a table setting with drink glasses and plates — Serious Eats / Qi Ai

April 2013

This recipe was cross-tested and updated in 2025.

This Dreamy Summer Dessert Is Perfect for Strawberry Lovers

Prep 50 mins

Cook 59 mins

Cooling Time: 2 hrs

Total 3 hrs 49 mins

Serves 8 to 10

Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

300 g granulated sugar (10 1/2 ounces; 1 1/2 cups)
2 tablespoons cornstarch (about 1/2 ounces; 16 g)
6 large egg whites
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
Pinch salt
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
57 g almond flour (2 ounces; 1/2 cup)
43 g sliced almonds (1 1/2 ounces; 1/2 cup)
1 1/2 pounds (680 g) strawberries, hulled and sliced (4 cups sliced)
2 cups (480 ml) heavy cream
3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar (about 1 ounce; 28 g), plus for dusting
1/8 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 275°F (135°C). Line a rimmed 13- by 18-inch baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk cornstarch and sugar; set aside.

Serious Eats / Qi Ai
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or using a hand mixer and a large bowl, beat egg whites with cream of tartar and salt on medium speed until light, fluffy, and soft peaks form, about 5 minutes. With the mixer still running on medium, gradually add sugar and cornstarch mixture, 1/4 cup at a time, beating for 30 seconds after each addition. Continue beating until meringue is thick, glossy, and holds firm peaks when you lift the whisk, 8 to 12 minutes longer. Using a flexible spatula, scrape bottom and sides of the bowl. With the mixer running on medium speed, drizzle in vanilla extract, and continue beating on medium until fully incorporated. Gently fold almond flour into meringue until incorporated.

Serious Eats / Qi Ai
Scrape meringue onto center of prepared baking sheet. Using a flexible spatula or the back of a spoon, spread and smooth meringue from center outward into a 9-inch disc, creating a rim that is about 1/4-inch higher around the edges.

Serious Eats / Qi Ai
Place in oven and immediately reduce temperature to 225°F (110°C). Bake until meringue is dry and pale beige, about 1 1/2 hours. Turn oven off and allow meringue to cool in the oven with the door closed, at least 2 hours and up to 16.

Serious Eats / Qi Ai
To Assemble: In the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or using a hand mixer and a large bowl, beat heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar, and salt on medium speed until soft peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes.

Serious Eats / Qi Ai
Carefully peel parchment away from bottom of meringue, and transfer meringue to a cake stand or large platter. Spoon whipped cream into depression of the meringue, followed by the sliced strawberries. Top with sliced almonds and dust with confectioners’ sugar. Serve immediately.

Serious Eats / Qi Ai

Special Equipment

13- by 18-inch rimmed baking sheet, parchment paper, stand mixer or hand mixer, cake stand or large platter

Make-Ahead and Storage

Once cooled, the meringue can be made and stored in an airtight container, ideally with a silica packet, for up to 5 days at room temperature but may soften as it sits. The pavlova should be eaten immediately.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
394	Calories
23g	Fat
44g	Carbs
6g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8 to 10
Amount per serving
Calories	394
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 23g	29%
Saturated Fat 12g	58%
Cholesterol 55mg	18%
Sodium 76mg	3%
Total Carbohydrate 44g	16%
Dietary Fiber 3g	9%
Total Sugars 38g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 41mg	205%
Calcium 72mg	6%
Iron 1mg	4%
Potassium 359mg	8%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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