Berries are my passion, and lately I couldn’t resist making berry Pavlovas. They’ve been everywhere recently, and I had to join the celebration of meringue — especially when it’s topped with fresh summer fruit. These little nests are as much about the look as they are about the flavor: airy, light, and perfect for warm days.
I’ve been using aquafaba for a while, but this was my first time turning it into meringue. If you’ve seen my post about the fluffiest pancakes, you may remember aquafaba as a clever substitute for egg whites. The results here were fantastic — the meringues turned out light, glossy and stable.
Vegan meringue can take a bit of practice. There are many helpful communities and guides online for troubleshooting and tips — they can save you time when you’re learning. I used tried-and-true techniques and learned from a few resources to get the texture right.
After some trial and error, the final batches came out just as I hoped. If your first attempt isn’t picture-perfect, don’t worry — they may not look perfect, but they will still taste wonderful. These are like little pillows of cloud that beg to be piled with berries.
I had extra meringue left over, so I’m already thinking about making an Eton mess next. The possibilities are endless once you master the base.
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Berry Pavlovas
Ingredients
- ½ teaspoon vanilla essence
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¾ cup icing sugar
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 cup of liquid from can of unsalted chickpeas
Toppings:
- ½ cup blackberries
- ½ cup raspberries
- ½ cup blueberries
Whipped cream
- 400 ml canned coconut milk (refrigerated overnight)
- 3 tbs icing sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
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In a large bowl, combine the liquid from the chickpeas with cream of tartar, lemon juice and vanilla.
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Using an electric whisk, beat on high and gradually add the icing sugar.
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Continue beating until stiff peaks form and the meringue holds without collapsing (about 8–10 minutes).
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Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and pipe or spoon the meringue into even nests.
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Bake at 110°C for approximately 2 hours, then turn off the oven and let the pavlovas cool inside to avoid cracking.
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Remove from the oven and allow them to cool completely.
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Scoop the thickened coconut cream from the top of the chilled can into a bowl.
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Whisk the coconut cream with lemon juice and icing sugar until stiff peaks form (about 8 minutes).
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Top each pavlova with whipped coconut cream and a mix of blackberries, raspberries and blueberries.
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Serve and enjoy.
Please note: these recipes are developed and tested in metric measurements. For best results use a digital scale. Conversions to US customary units are provided but may not have been tested by the author.
Nutrition
You can also see this recipe featured on JD Williams Blog.