These blush pink mini pavlova nests have a delicate floral flavour complimented by a rich and creamy mascarpone cream filling. This is romance on a plate. Add an exotic flair to your high tea or serve as a dessert for a special meal.
We've drizzled these with a cheat's rose syrup. It's a doddle to make compared to the traditional way of boiling up rose petals. So, if you don't have a million roses in your garden to sacrifice to a syrup, read on on how to make rose syrup the easy way, not to mention for a fraction of the price.
For other pink-hued desserts, try this easy marshmallow fridge tart, easy coconut ice or this blush pink strawberry lassi.
What's to love about this recipe
- Something unique and very pretty to serve with tea, or as a pudding
- Great for a romantic theme like Valentine's day, or an event like a girl's baby shower
- It's rather easy to make. Pavlovas are not as tricky to pull off as people might fear
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Key ingredient notes and substitutions
Egg whites: We will need four large eggs for this recipe.
Top tip:
Even though the egg whites will whip easier at room temperature, they do separate easier when cold from the fridge. Separate the eggs whilst cold and leave outside for about 20 minutes to warm up slightly before whipping.
Sugars: Castor sugar, or otherwise known as super fine sugar in the US. You can easily make your own by blitzing normal granulated sugar in a food processer until fine, but not as fine as icing sugar.
Rose water: We like to use Nielsen-Massey rose water, but you can use whichever brand is available to you. Rose water can usually be found in the baking aisle, or in most health shops.
Corn flour and white wine vinegar: We add these to the meringue to strengthen the egg whites, make it more stable and help get that marshmallowy centre you'd expect from a pavlova.
Gel food colour: You only need the tiniest amount to get quite an intense colour with colour gels. With normal liquid food colouring you might be adding too much moisture to the meringue and this could affect the consistency.
Do be careful when adding the gel colour. You don't want to overdo it and end up with an unnaturally bright looking pavlova. I find that dipping a toothpick into the gel colour pot and adding just that bit of colour on the tip to the meringue, is a good starting point. You can always add more, but you can't take it away.
Double cream: Or 'heavy' cream in the USA.
Mascarpone cheese
Vanilla extract
Tools needed:
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Small sauce pan
- Metal spoon
How to make this recipe - Quick summary
Step 1: Whisk the egg whites to soft peak stage and start adding the castor sugar, one spoonful at a time. Beat until you have a thick, glossy mixture. With a large metal spoon, fold in the cornflour and white wine vinegar
Step 2: Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with a sheet of baking paper. Draw circles onto the paper of about 6-7cm in diameter. Spoon or pipe the meringue mixture into the circles and pile them as high as you can, about 3 inches/7-8cm. Make a slight hollow in the top of each meringue mound. This will serve as a small 'bowl' for the filling later. Bake for 1 hour. Switch the oven off and let the pavlova nests cool inside, without opening the door for another 3 hours.
Step 3: Prepare the mascarpone cream by whipping the cream together with the icing sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Add the mascarpone and whip until thick and velvety. Keep in the fridge until needed.
Step 4: For the cheat's rose water, add the water along with the sugar to a small saucepan. Heat up and keep swirling the pan until it starts to look syrupy. Add the food colouring and the rose water. Have a taste and add more rose water if you'd like it stronger. Pour into a small bowl or jar and keep in the fridge until needed.
Step 5: Assemble the pavlovas by scooping the mascarpone cream on top of each pavlova. You can also transfer the mascarpone cream to a piping bag and pipe the filling into the nests. Drizzle with the cheat's rose water syrup.
Top tips
- If you have meringue left after piping six nests, why not pipe a few small meringue rosettes to add on top of your cream for decoration.
- After the meringue has been whipped to thick glossy peaks, don't hesitate too long before getting them in the oven as they might start to droop.
Decoration ideas
- The sky's the limit! Make some crystallised rose petals and scatter those on top. You can also use fresh rose petals. You will need to use organic roses from your garden, or from a kind neighbour. The roses from the shop would have been treated with pesticides and therefore not safe to eat. Yes, you can eat rose petals!
- Leave them plain, just with the rose syrup.
- Scatter some chopped pistachios on top - the green nuts compliment the pink pavlovas beautifully.
Storage suggestions
Once you have assembled the pavlovas with the mascarpone cream, they need to be eaten within 2 hours. Leaving it for longer might cause the pavlovas to get soggy. For ultimate results, assemble just before serving.
Undecorated pavlovas will keep well for up to two weeks in an airtight container, or for up to a month in the freezer.
FAQ
The main reason for soggy pavlovas is that they were not baked for long enough. Ensure you keep at the correct temperatures and baking times.
By cooling them down slowly. Cracking is normal, but you can help keep it to a minimum by gradually cooling the pavlovas down inside the oven after the oven's been switched off.
Yes, these pavlovas are completely gluten free.
Both are made from egg whites with the addition of castor sugar, but there are differences.
Meringues are usually baked for longer at a lower temperature, making them crisp and dry throughout.
Pavlovas have a softer, chewier centre which is achieved with the addition of corn flour. Pavlovas are also cooked for a shorter amount of time at a higher temperature.
Recipe
Mini pavlova nests with rose mascarpone cream (and cheat's rose syrup)
Ingredients
For the pavlovas
- 4 large egg whites - at room temperature
- 250 gram castor sugar - or super fine sugar
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon rose water
- 2 teaspoons cornflour
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- 1 drop pink food colour gel
For the mascarpone cream
- 300 millilitre double cream
- 200 gram mascarpone cheese
- 2 tablespoons icing sugar - or confectioner's sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the cheat's rose syrup
- 60 gram water - or 60 millimetres
- 60 gram castor sugar - or super fine sugar
- 2-3 drops rose water
- 1 drop pink food colour gel
Instructions
For the pavlovas
- Pre-heat the oven to 140C/284F
- In a clean, grease free metal/glass bowl whip the egg whites along with the pinch of salt until soft peaks form. This is best done in a stand mixer with the balloon whisk attachment. You can use an electric hand mixer too, it may just take a little longer. I won't attempt this with a hand whisk
- Once it's reached soft peak stage, start adding the castor sugar one spoonful at a time. Wait around 10 seconds between each addition. Keep your mixer at a medium to high speed
- Once all the sugar has been added, keep beating for another 2-3 minutes until you have a thick, glossy mixture. Add the rose water and food colouring and mix until just combined
- Stop the machine, remove the bowl. With a clean metal spoon, fold in the cornflour and white wine vinegar
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Draw 6 circles on the paper of about 6-7cm in diameter. Either scoop or pipe the meringue mixture into the circles, piling it as high as you can, about 3 inches. Make a hollow in the top of each meringue heap. The hollow will provide a slight 'bowl' for the filling later.
- Put it in the warm oven on the middle shelf. After 15 minutes, turn the heat down to 120C/248F. Bake for a further 45 minutes. Keep the door shut at all times. After 45 minutes, switch the oven off and leave the pavlovas in the oven for at least another 3 hours. Do not open the door at any point.
- Once the pavlovas have completely cooled down, remove from the oven and gently peel them from the paper
For the mascarpone cream
- In a bowl, whip the cream with the icing sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks
- In a separate bowl, soften up the mascarpone by squishing it with a fork. Add the mascarpone to the cream and whisk until it's velvety and smooth. Keep in the fridge until needed
For the cheat's rose syrup
- In a small sauce pan, combine the water and castor sugar and give it a stir. Over a low to medium heat, bring the liquid to a gentle simmer and turn the heat down to low. Keep swirling the mixture until it starts to thicken slightly and starts looking more like a syrup
- Turn the heat off and stir in the food colouring and drops of rose water. Have a taste and add more rose water if you would like it stronger. It's best to start conservatively with the rose water and add more if needed. Pour into a small bowl/jug and keep in the fridge until needed
Assembly
- Scoop or pipe the mascarpone cream on top of the pavlovas and drizzle with the rose syrup. Add any additional decorations you'd like, like crystallised rose petals
Notes
Nutrition
For food safety advice, including guidance on food allergies
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