How To Make a Boozy Berry Pavlova
If you’re someone that craves dessert and cocktails, then the Boozy Berry Pavlova is the ideal recipe for you! It takes the best of both and combines it into a delicious treat that’s light and fresh. Although this recipe takes a little bit longer to create versus my usual cocktail recipes, it’s certainly worth it! The sweetness and decadence of the meringue balance so well with the flavor from the berries and the subtly sweet berry rosé sauce. Enjoy!
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What is Pavlova?
Pavlova is a meringue-based dessert that has a crisp outside and a light and fluffy inside. This dessert can be filled with any number of different ingredients, and fruits like berries and peaches pair perfectly inside the nest-shaped pavlova.
For this recipe, I used ripe berries, a rich elderflower whipped cream, and topped it all with a lightly sweet berry rosé sauce for a fresh, creamy, and delicious fusion of flavors! Feel free to get creative with what you add to your pavlova. I prefer to use a mix of berries, such as strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries for a truly indulgent dessert.
How To Make Berry Rosé Sauce
Making homemade sauces is one of my favorite ways to get creative in the kitchen! I’ve talked about how I enjoy making simple syrups too like the Strawberry Rhubarb Syrup in the Strawberry Rhubarb Cocktail and making a specialty simple syrup is very similar to making a sauce.
For the berry rosé sauce, I add mixed berries, rosé wine, sugar, and lemon juice to a small saucepan over medium heat. I cook all the ingredients together for about 5 to 10 minutes, while stirring occasionally, until the berries begin to break down. Use a wooden spoon to break down the berries even more. Remove the saucepan from heat and allow the sauce to cool. Transfer into a jar or bowl.
Ingredients for the Boozy Berry Pavlova
For the Pavlova:
- Egg whites: make sure to use fresh eggs and keep the egg whites at room temperature for optimal results
- Granulated sugar: no dessert is complete without some sugar
- Corn starch
- Lemon juice : a splash of fresh lemon juice gives this recipe a bit of tartness which balances with the sugar and vanilla extract
- Vanilla extract: add more depth to the pavlova with a dash of of vanilla extract
For the Berry Rosé sauce:
- Mixed berries: I recommend using a mix of riper berries, such as strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries.
- Rosé wine: this can be your favorite rose wine or whatever you have on the bar cart. A tip when picking out a rosé, typically the lighter the color the dryer and less sweet and the darker the color the sweeter and more full-bodied.
- Sugar
- Lemon juice
For the Elderflower Whipped Cream:
- Heavy whipping cream
- Elderflower liqueur: I used Fiorente Elderflower Liqueur
For the toppings:
- Berries: berries are the star of the show, so top this dessert with a few more for a finished look.
- Mint: a sprig of fresh mint on top brings this whole dessert together.
Tips To Make Great Pavlova
- I recommend using parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. These baking liners will prevent the meringue from splitting or cracking when it is removed from the tray.
- You may be wondering if you can use wax paper instead, and I would recommend staying away from that option because you don’t want to risk the layer of wax transferring to the pavlova. Using wax paper may also cause the oven to smoke.
- When making the meringue part of the pavlova, it’s recommended to always use fresh egg whites. Older egg whites tend to collapse when other ingredients are added to them, plus they won’t rise as well in the oven.
More Recipes With Rosé
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Boozy Berry Pavlova
Equipment
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Small bowl
- Whisk
- Standing mixer
- Large spoon
- Small saucepan
- Wooden spoon
Materials
To make the Pavlova:
- 4 egg whites room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp corn starch
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
To make the Berry Rosé Sauce:
- 1 cup berries
- ¼ cup rosé wine
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
To make the Elderflower Whipped Cream:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tbsp elderflower liqueur
For the Toppings:
- 1 cup berries
- mint sprig
Instructions
To make the Pavlova:
- Preheat the oven to 275° F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, whisk together sugar and the corn starch.
- Using your stand mixer, beat room temperature egg whites on high until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar/cornstarch mixture to the egg whites. Continue mixing until all sugar is added and stiff peaks form, about 10 minutes
- Add vanilla and lemon juice and mix until just combined. The eggs should look shiny with stiff peaks.
- Use a large spoon to scoop the meringue into 6 circles on the prepared baking sheet. Use the back of a teaspoon to shape the circles into a swirled shape. Indent the center of each meringue circle with a spoon to leave room for filling.
- Place the meringues in the oven and immediately turn the heat down to 250° F. Bake for 55 minutes. Turn off the oven, without opening the door, and let the meringues sit in the hot oven for 30 more minutes. Remove from the oven or open and allow to cool completely.
- To assemble the pavlovas, top with elderflower whipped cream, berry rosé sauce, fresh berries and mint.
To make the Berry Rosé Sauce:
- Add all ingredients to a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the berries begin to break down. Use a wooden spoon to break down the berries even more. Remove from heat and cool.
To make the Elderflower Whipped Cream:
- Beat cold whipping cream with elderflower liqueur until soft peaks are formed about 2 minutes.
