I’m so excited to share this new holiday recipe with you! This festive, mouthwatering cranberry and pomegranate pavlova wreath is truly gorgeous! And it’s the perfect dish to wow your guests.
Pavlova Wreath with Cranberry & Pomegranate
If you’ve never made a pavlova before, here’s the deal. Pavlovas are meringue-based (gluten-free) desserts that are rumored to be named after Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova.
Made with just five ingredients, they have a crisp crust and a soft, marshmallow-like inside. And they are usually topped high with whipped cream and the baker’s choice of curd, fresh fruit and/or nuts.
For this holiday version, I decided to shape my pavlova into a wreath shape and top it with whipped cream, cranberry curd, fresh pomegranate seeds, and sugared cranberries. I also garnished mine with a few sprigs of rosemary to give it a holiday look. But feel free to be creative!
Tips on Making a Pavlova Wreath:
While you only need a few ingredients to make the pavlova wreath, there are a few tricks to getting yours to turn out perfect.
- USE FRESH EGGS: Fresh, room temperature eggs make the best meringue. The older the egg, the less stable the foam will be.
- USE CLEAN EQUIPMENT: Also, make sure your bowl and beaters are clean!
- SKIP BAKING ON HUMID DAYS: Avoid making meringue on super humid days. The sugar in your pavlova will absorb the moisture in the air and if there’s too much, it can cause your pavlova to go soft and chewy.
- LET IT COOL IN THE OVEN: To prevent cracking, turn off the oven when pavlova is done and let it cool completely in the oven before removing it.
- EAT RIGHT AWAY: While you can store a pavlova (pre-decorated) in an airtight container for a day or two, they really are best served right away.
- DON’T STRESS: And one final note — don’t worry if your pavlova does crack or crumble a bit! Just top it and serve it. It might look a tad more rustic, but it will still be a showstopper. And it will taste amazing!
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How to Make the Pavlova Wreath Shape
There’s no reason you can’t make this pavlova in the traditional shape of an 8 or 9-inch circle (or as mini pavlovas) but if you want to make it into a pavlova wreath, as I did here, here are some tips.
- PREP A BAKING SHEET: Place a piece of parchment paper on your baking sheet.
- TRACE A WREATH SHAPE ONTO PARCHMENT PAPER: Turn a 9-inch mixing bowl or cake pan upside down and lightly trace the bowl onto your paper. This will be the outer ring of your wreath. Next, turn a 3-inch glass or cup upside down and trace it. This will be the center of the wreath.
- SPOON THE MERINGUE ONTO THE PAPER: Then spoon the meringue into the parchment paper (inside the tracing). You can also leave the glass there while you are spreading the pavlova mixture onto the parchment paper. I find it makes it easier to keep within the lines!
Looking for More Holiday Desserts? Try These!
Yummiest Hot Chocolate Drip Cake
Dulce de Leche Cookies {Alfajores}
Sugar Plum Linzer Cookie Recipe
Easy Leftover Cranberry Sauce Coffee Cake
Passion Fruit Vodka Porn Star Martini Cocktail
Print
Holiday Cranberry and Pomegranate Pavlova Wreath
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 8–10 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This holiday cranberry and pomegranate pavlova wreath is not only super gorgeous but it’s also easy to make!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Pavlova:
- 4 large, fresh egg whites, at room temperature (save the yolks for the curd!)
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar (you can also use 1 teaspoon of lemon juice or of white or apple cider vinegar)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
For the Cranberry Curd:
- 3 cups fresh or frozen cranberries (approx. (1)12-ounce bag of cranberries)
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 4 large egg yolks at room temperature
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
For the Sugared Cranberries:
- 2 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 cup water
- 3 cups fresh cranberries (you can try to use frozen cranberries but make sure they’re defrosted and before using. If not, they’ll release water during the defrosting stage and ruin the look.)
Additional Toppings:
- Pomegranate seeds, rosemary sprigs
Instructions
For the Pavlova:
- PREP: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. (Please note: as soon as you put your pavlova into the oven, you will turn the oven heat down to 200 degrees.) Then line a baking sheet with parchment paper. If you’re making a wreath-shaped pavlova, see the note above on how to prepare your parchment paper.
- BEAT EGG WHITES: Using a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, or a handheld mixer, beat your egg whites on medium or medium-high until soft peaks form (about 5 minutes).
- ADD SUGAR: Add the sugar in two additions, beating for about 30 seconds in between.
- CONTINUE BEATING: Then continue beating the egg whites until stiff, glossy peaks form (about 2 minutes).*
- ADD VANILLA, CREAM OF TARTAR & CORNSTARCH: Add the vanilla extract and beat for one additional minute. Using a spatula, fold in the cream of tartar and cornstarch.
- DOLLOP ONTO BAKING SHEET: Spoon the meringue mixture onto your baking sheet. If desired, you can smooth out any sides with the back of a metal spoon.
- BAKE: Place the pavlova in the oven. Make sure to turn down the heat to 200 degrees immediately. Bake the pavlova until it is firm and dry, about 90 minutes. I rotate mine halfway through baking.
- COOL: When done, turn the oven off and let the pavlova cool inside the oven. This will help prevent it from cracking.
- ASSEMBLE & SERVE: Once it is cool, top with whipped cream (store-bought or homemade), cranberry curd, and fruit, or as desired, and serve!
For the Cranberry Curd:
- SIMMER CRANBERRIES: Add the cranberries and water to a saucepan over medium-low heat. Simmer until the cranberries are tender and have popped.
- STRAIN: Strain cranberry mixture through a fine sieve, discard the pulp, and return the puree to the saucepan.
- ADD SUGAR: Add the sugar and melt over low heat while stirring often.
- ADD EGGS: Whisk together the egg yolks using a fork in a separate bowl. Then add them very slowly to the cranberry mixture while constantly stirring over low heat until thickened, about 2-3 minutes (be careful not to scramble the eggs).
- ADD THE BUTTER: When thickened, add the butter and whisk until melted and combined.
- COOL: Let cool completely before using. Can be stored refrigerated in mason jars or other containers for up to 10 days.
For the Sugared Cranberries:
- COOK WATER & SUGAR: Add 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar to a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved, stirring often.
- COOL: Allow mixture to cool completely.
- STIR TO COAT CRANBERRIES: Once the simple syrup is cooled, add the fresh cranberries and stir to covered. Remove the cranberries with a slotted spoon and place them on a wire cooling rack set over a sheet pan to dry. (Save the rest of the syrup for another recipe, if desired.)
- LET DRY: Let the cranberries dry for 45 minutes.
- ROLL IN SUGAR: Add the remaining sugar to a shallow dish. Then roll the cranberries in the sugar until completely coated.
- STORAGE: You can store your sugared cranberries in an airtight container for about 3 days.
Notes
- You can tell your whites are stiff enough if you can hold the whisk upside down and the peaks hold.
- Feel free to use storebought whipped cream and/or curd, if desired.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 90 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake