Christmas Wreath Pavlova
This is a recipe I wanted to make just because I saw it on Pinterest and felt that that is was so pretty!

Merengue isn’t too hard to make but it definitely takes time because of how long you have to bake and cool the merengue. I baked this the night before in anticipation, knowing I had to work on Christmas day. This recipe is adapted from Joy of Baking, one of my favorite websites.
It was still hectic since I got called early to the hospital for a complex hematology patient in the ICU; I ended up staying a lot longer than expected. By the time I got home, it was dark already and I needed to still assemble my pavlova in time for Christmas dinner.


We had our one family friend couple over (same as Thanksgiving!) so when they arrived, I was still in the process of making dessert. I put them to work whipping the cream haha.
Then they got to see me take pictures. I usually don’t like having people watch me take photos since I feel so awkward but I needed to take this pictures quickly or my husband and my friends would immediately start eating it. I took a few quick photos, and you can see our lovely Christmas tree in the background (a record height of 9 feet, the biggest we’ve ever had)

The pavlova was a success, and lots of people were quite interested in the recipe after I shared some videos online on instagram. It was very cool to hear a lot of people from Europe reply how much they loved pavlovas, and some people even shared with me photos of pavlovas they had made. I feel like it’s not a commonly made recipe in the USA. Enjoy!
Christmas Wreath Pavlova
Ingredients
PAVLOVA
4 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup superfine white sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar *
1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
TOPPING
1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
1-2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Fresh fruit – strawberries, blueberries, and sugared cranberries
*next time I’d use lemon juice. The merengue will not taste like vinegar, but I am very sensitive to the flavor (no one else could tell)
Directions
PAVLOVA: Preheat your oven to 250 degrees F and place rack in center of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
Using a mixer, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until they hold soft peaks. Start adding the sugar slowly and continue to beat, on high speed, until the meringue holds very stiff and shiny peaks. (Test to see if the sugar is fully dissolved by rubbing a little of the meringue between your thumb and index finger. The meringue should feel smooth, not gritty. If it feels gritty the sugar has not fully dissolved so keep beating until it feels smooth between your fingers). Beat in the vanilla extract. Sprinkle the vinegar (or lemon juice) and cornstarch over the top of the meringue and, with a rubber spatula, gently fold in. Spread the meringue on the parchment paper, smoothing the edges. To make it a wreath, I did a circle shape.
Bake for about 60 minutes or until the outside is dry. Turn the oven off, leave the oven door slightly ajar, and let the meringue cool completely in the oven. Just before serving gently place the meringue onto a serving plate.
TOPPING: Using a mixer, whip the cream, sugar, and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. Spread the whipped cream on top of the meringue. Arrange the fruit on top of the cream. Serve immediately. Enjoy!