lemon meringue pavlova

This Lemon Meringue Pavlova is lemony, sweet, and so delicious! All the flavour of a lemon meringue pie but on a soft pillowy Pavlova meringue.

The curd used here is also available as a standalone recipe: Lemon Curd (Pavlova).

Ingredients

Pavlova

• 1 cup (240 ml) granulated Caster sugar ( in a food processor for a minute or two)
• 2 tsp (10 ml) cornstarch
• 6 large egg whites

Lemon Curd

• 3 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) sugar
• zest from 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) lemon juice
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) butter

Whipped Cream

• 2 cups (480 ml) whipping cream

Instructions

1. To make the Pavlova, preheat your oven to 250 degrees (120°C).
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch. Set aside.
3. In a large glass or stainless steel bowl, whip the egg whites until they are foamy with stiff peaks.
4. While the egg whites are still whipping, gradually add the sugar and cornstarch mixture, 1 tbsp (15 ml) at a time, until the mixture becomes glossy and forms stiff peaks. The texture will be kind of like stiff shaving foam.
5. Line a baking sheet with a sheet of parchment paper.
6. Using a spoon, pile the meringue onto the parchment paper in a circle about 8 inches (20 cm) wide and 3 inches (8 cm) tall. Make the sides of the meringue a little higher than the centre, leaving a slight bowl-like indent in the middle; this creates a nice little spot for the lemon curd and whipped cream.
7. Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes, until the pavlova meringue is barely golden in colour, has slight cracking, and appears dry.
8. Set aside to cool. Let the meringue cool completely before adding the lemon curd and whipping cream.
9. To make the lemon curd while the Pavlova is baking, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a saucepan.
10. On low-medium heat, cook the lemon mixture, stirring constantly, until it lightly boils and then thickens. This step should only take about 5 to 8 minutes.
11. Remove the lemon mixture from the heat and whisk in the butter until it is melted and thoroughly mixed in.
12. Set aside to cool.
13. To make the whipped cream, use a mixer to whip the whipping cream until it is fluffy. Note: I do not add sugar to this whipped cream because the pavlova and the lemon curd are sweet enough. The unsweetened whipped cream is a nice balance to all the sweetness.
14. To assemble, gently transfer the baked and cooled meringue base onto a serving plate.
15. Using a spoon, gently add spoonfuls of the cooled lemon curd to the top of the meringue until it fills the centre. You can then use a spatula to smooth it out. Be careful not to press down hard or the meringue will collapse.
16. Top with whipped cream.
17. Garnish with fresh lemon zest if you like, or fresh berries.