Description
Pavlova Bombs are an elegant and fun dessert featuring crisp meringue domes with a soft marshmallow center, filled with tangy lemon curd and vibrant raspberry coulis, topped with whipped cream, fresh raspberries, and pistachios. This recipe combines classic pavlova texture with playful assembly and presentation, perfect for special occasions or impressive entertaining.
Ingredients
Scale
Meringue
- 80 ml / 1/3 cup egg whites (from 3 large eggs)
- 2/3 cup caster sugar (superfine sugar, do not reduce)
- 1 1/4 tsp cornflour (cornstarch)
- 1/2 tsp white vinegar
Raspberry Coulis
- Fresh or pureed raspberries (for making coulis; use about 1 cup raspberries)
- Sugar (to taste for coulis)
Lemon Curd
- 3 large egg yolks (from eggs used in meringue)
- Lemon juice
- Sugar
- Butter
Whipped Cream
- 1 cup heavy/thickened cream (cold)
- 1 1/2 tbsp caster sugar / superfine sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Garnish
- 1 1/2 tbsp unsalted pistachios, finely chopped
- 5 small mint sprigs
- 20 fresh raspberries
- Icing sugar / powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 150°C / 325°F (all oven types) initially to prepare for meringue baking.
- Prepare Egg Whites: Separate 3 large eggs’ whites and measure 80 ml (1/3 cup). Let the whites come to room temperature for 15 minutes, which helps them whip better.
- Beat Egg Whites and Sugar: Using a stand mixer or electric beater, beat egg whites on high for 1 minute. Slowly add in 2/3 cup caster sugar over 1 minute while continuing to beat.
- Whip to Stiff Peaks: Continue beating on high for 5 minutes until mixture is fluffy, glossy, and sugar grains dissolve. Add 1/2 tsp white vinegar and 1 1/4 tsp cornflour; beat for an additional 30 seconds.
- Prepare Baking Trays: Line two trays with baking paper. Dab a bit of meringue on corners to hold paper in place.
- Pipe and Shape Meringue Domes: Transfer meringue to a piping bag with a snipped 2 cm hole. Pipe 5 mounds per tray, then smooth each into domes approximately 4 cm wide and 6.5 cm tall using an offset spatula or butter knife.
- Bake Meringues: Place trays in oven, immediately reduce temperature to 110°C / 225°F (100°C fan). Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes or until meringues feel dry to the touch and bases are set. If sticky, bake longer as needed.
- Cool Meringues: Turn oven off and leave meringues inside to cool completely for 3 hours or preferably overnight (about 10 hours).
- Make Fillings: While meringues bake, prepare raspberry coulis and lemon curd by simmering and thickening them, then straining and chilling until ready.
- Whip Cream: Just before serving, 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 in a stand mixer).
- Prepare Piping Bags: Divide raspberry coulis, lemon curd, and whipped cream into separate piping bags with appropriate sized holes (5 mm for coulis, 1 cm for cream).
- Hollow Out Meringue Domes: Place a pavlova dome upside down in a muffin tin for stability. Cut a 1 cm hole in the base with a small sharp knife. Use a chopstick to gently push meringue inside to create space for filling.
- Fill Pavlova Bombs: Pipe about 1 1/2 tsp raspberry coulis into the hole, followed by 2 to 3 tsp lemon curd. Plug the hole by topping with whipped cream.
- Plate and Decorate: Pipe about 2 tbsp whipped cream onto the serving plate to hold the pavlova bomb in place. Place the filled bomb on top, then pipe and spread more whipped cream over it. Garnish with fresh raspberry, mint sprig, chopped pistachios, and a light dusting of icing sugar.
- Serve and Smash: Serve immediately and encourage guests to smash into their pavlova bombs to enjoy the blend of crisp meringue, soft centre, fruity curd, and fresh cream together.
Notes
- Note 1: Use egg whites at room temperature for better volume when whipping.
- Note 2: Cornflour and vinegar help stabilize the meringue and maintain texture during baking.
- Note 3: Whipped cream can be stabilized in advance using gelatin or commercial stabilizers if desired.
- Note 4: Baking times may vary depending on your oven; ensure meringues are dry and base fully set to avoid chewy texture.
- Note 5: If you don’t have piping bags, use a spoon and careful technique to fill the bombs.
- The lemon curd uses leftover yolks from the pavlova eggs, making efficient use of ingredients.
- This dessert is best served fresh after assembly as the meringue can become soggy if left too long.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Australian
Keywords: Pavlova Bombs, meringue dessert, lemon curd, raspberry coulis, whipped cream dessert, Australian desserts, elegant desserts, party desserts
