This Showstopping Christmas Tree Pavlova Is the Ultimate Festive Treat

A heavenly dessert that serves serious meringue magic.

Welcome to Put on a Spread, a recipe series that takes you inside the kitchens – and dining rooms – of some of our favorite home cooks. For this instalment, Victoria Minell shares her recipe for a spectacular Christmas tree pavlova with berries.

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No matter how much you eat on Christmas Day, there is always room for dessert. And the dessert that never fails to get us excited every year is pavlova. With a delicately crispy outer layer and a soft, marshmallow-like interior, pavlova is a treat that not only looks spectacular but tastes heavenly.

We’re going even more festive this year with a Christmas tree tower pavlova. For this recipe, Tori Minell layers meringue, cream, raspberry compote, and berries to create a tree of deliciousness that will delight all this holiday season.

Pav yourself a very merry Christmas!

Ingredients

6 egg whites (make sure there is no yolk in them)
1 tbsp cornflour
1 tsp white vinegar
1 ½ cups caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
500ml thickened cream
2 punnets raspberries
1 punnet blackberries
1 punnet strawberries, sliced into quarters
1/4 cup caster sugar
100g cherries
Rosemary sprigs

Method

Preheat the oven to 320°F fan-forced.
Mix egg whites on a high setting for approximately three minutes or until a hard peak forms.
Once a hard peak has formed, slowly add the caster sugar 1 tbsp at a time, while continuing to beat on high for around five minutes.
Once the sugar has completely dissolved (test by rubbing the mixture in between your fingers), mix in the white vinegar and cornflour.
Line two oven trays with baking paper and create six circular bases, each in a different size, with the pavlova mixture.
Place in the oven for 70 minutes, then turn off the heat and leave the oven door slightly open for 20-30 minutes to let cool.
Meanwhile, create your raspberry compote by combining one punnet of raspberries, 1/4 cup of caster sugar, and 1 tbsp of water in a pot, and bring to the boil on the stove for 2-3 minutes.
Remove the pot from heat and let cool.
While the pavlova bases are cooling in the oven, whip together the cream and vanilla essence
Once the pavlova bases have completely cooled, assemble the pavlova by placing the largest base on the bottom, then layer with cream, raspberry compote, and berries. Repeat until all bases are assembled in a tower.
Decorate the tower with cherries and rosemary sprigs.