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Fluffy and light, this airy strawberry lemon curd pavlova is the easiest dessert you can make! Tasty meringue topped with delicious strawberry lemon curd and a mountain of whipped cream!
You didn’t think I was just going to post that delicious strawberry lemon curd yesterday and then not have something to go along with it, did you!? I had originally planned to post this pavlova with the curd together, but then I decided I wanted to keep the curd as a separate post, since I have plans to do more recipes with it this spring and summer!
My next recipe is either some mini tarts with curd and topped with meringue, or a giant tart – also topped with meringue!
But for now, we’ve got this lovely pavlova ready to devour.
Have you figured out your Easter dessert yet? You’ve still got lots of time to make this one!! It’s incredibly easy and so versatile!
What is a pavlova?
If you’ve never made one of these delightful desserts, you’re in for a treat. They’re very simple but so delicious! It’s basically a big fluffy meringue with a crunchy exterior, topped with whipped cream and/or other toppings!
You only need a few ingredients for a pavlova:
- egg whites
- super-fine sugar
- cornstarch
- white wine vinegar
You’ll see a few different variations of these ingredients on the Internet, but I’ve found this combination to work the best for me!
How do you make a strawberry lemon curd pavlova?
Topping a pavlova with curd is an easy way to get a big pop of flavor! Start by making the actual curd. You can find the recipe here, on yesterday’s post. You might want to prepare the curd the day before, to give it enough time to fully cool and thicken.
When you’re ready to make the pavlova, ensure you have room temperature egg whites. I have never tried this recipe with boxed egg whites, but I’m told they don’t work as well.
You will also want to make sure your sugar is super-fine. What I like to do is use castor (berry) sugar and grind it up a bit in a food processor to make sure its as fine as possible.
Start this recipe by whipping the egg whites on high until soft peaks begin to form. Soft peaks means the egg whites will form peaks, but they’ll be soft peaks that fall over.
Next, with the mixer running on low, add the sugar slowly. Then turn up the mixer to high and whip until the meringue begins to form stiff peaks, and becomes smooth and glossy.
At this point, when you hold the beater up, the meringue should stay in a firm peak. When you rub the mixture between your fingers, it should not feel gritty.
Add the cornstarch and white wine vinegar, then give the mixture just a few turns to mix it all in.
On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, pile the meringue into the middle. Using your fingers or a spatula, form the meringue into a round shape, smoothing the sides as best you can.
The pavlova will puff up in the oven so keep that in mind when you’re adding to the height of the meringue.
Once formed to your liking, place the pavlova in the oven and then immediately turn the temperature down to 300 F.
Bake the pavlova for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Do not open the oven door during this bake time. Better yet, turn the oven off after baking and do not open the door for at LEAST 3 hours, or up to 12 hours.
Once you remove the pavlova, place it on a serving plate and top with whipped cream, followed by the strawberry lemon curd and more whipping cream. You can also just do curd first, then whipping cream. I love piling fresh fruit on top of my pavlovas, too!
Can you prepare a strawberry lemon curd pavlova ahead of time?
If you’re making this pavlova ahead of time, I highly recommend just making the pavlova and leaving it covered, at room temperature, without adding the curd and whipped cream on top. It will keep for 2-3 days like this. The longer it sits out the drier it will get, which means it will be even crispier.
Do not add the curd and other toppings until just before serving, or no more than an hour or two.
I think this pavlova is a terrific Easter dessert, or any time dessert! Since the boys really loved this strawberry lemon version, I think it’ll be happening more often! It’s such a nice, light dessert that won’t leave you feeling heavy.
Happy Easter!
Some other curd recipes and Easter dessert ideas:
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Strawberry Lemon Curd Pavlova
- Total Time: 6 hours
- Yield: 4-5 servings 1x
Description
Fluffy and light, this airy strawberry lemon curd pavlova is the easiest dessert you can make! Tasty meringue topped with delicious strawberry lemon curd and a mountain of whipped cream!
Ingredients
- 4 egg whites, room temperature
- 1 cup super-fine sugar*
- 1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup strawberry lemon curd
- 1 cup whipped cream, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the egg whites on high until soft peaks begin to form. The egg whites should have tripled in size, look foamy, and form soft peaks that fall over after formed.
- With the mixer running on low, slowly add the sugar. Turn the mixer up to high and whip until the egg whites are glossy and smooth, and form stiff, firm peaks that do not fall over when formed. Pinch the mixture together with your fingers; if it is still gritty feeling, mix a bit longer.
- Add the cornstarch and white wine vinegar and give the meringue mixture a few turns. Pile the meringue on to the center of the prepared baking sheet, using a spatula or your fingers to form it into a smooth mound. Keep the top of the pavlova fairly flat, which will ensure the toppings don’t slide off!
- Place the pavlova in the oven, and immediately turn the temperature down to 300 F. Bake the meringue for 1 hour and 15 minutes**. Do not open the oven door while the pavlova is baking. Turn the oven off after the bake time is up, then leave the pavlova inside the oven for at LEAST 3 hours, but up to 12 hours. The longer it stays inside the oven untouched, the crispier it will be!
- Once completely cooled, and just before serving, place the pavlova on to a serving plate and top with half the whipped cream, followed by the curd, then the remainder of the whipped cream. Serve immediately.
A cooked pavlova that has not been decorated with curd yet can remain at room temperature, covered, for 2-3 days. If you’re making the pavlova ahead of time, do not add the curd and whipped cream until just before serving.
Notes
*To ensure my sugar is super-fine, I use castor (berry) sugar and grind it up a bit in a food processor until very, very fine
**If you would like your pavlova to be a bit chewier on the inside, bake for 55 minutes instead. Allow the pavlova to cool down for 2-3 hours in the oven before removing it.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Category: desserts
- Method: oven bake
- Cuisine: Australian
Such a beautiful pavlova for Spring, Katherine! Love the strawberry lemon curd addition too!
It is perfect for spring!! Thanks Michelle!!
Wow this pavlova is truly beautiful, and perfect for Easter! I also love the lemon curd addition, so delicious!!
Thank you Catherine!! It is definitely a perfect Easter dessert!
We absolutely love meringues and I know my girls will adore a pavlova! The strawberry lemon curd is such a perfect springtime topping!
We love meringue so much, too! It is the best topping for a spring time dessert! 🙂
Such a gorgeous dessert, Katherine! Perfect for Easter (or any special occasion, really)! Bet it tastes so so good too.
Thank you Dawn!! It is definitely a perfect Easter dessert, and good for any time!
Honestly, any fruit curd is already good enough not to go along with it anything else to me. But it’s always so much better as a part of another recipe. This Pavlova looks beautiful and sounds delightful, and the photos give me all those spring vibes!
Thank you Ben!! This is the ultimate spring pavlova, which maybe means the warm weather will be coming right along with it!!