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Mini Lemon Berry Pavlovas

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Mini Lemon Berry Pavlovas are quite possibly the most delightful and delicious treat at the dessert table. These beauties are ideal for cocktail parties, casual dinners, and spring and summer soirées.Close up a several Mini Lemon Berry Pavlovas on parchment paper

Doesn’t just looking at this lovely dessert make you happy?

And hungry?

Close up of one Mini Lemon Berry Pavlova with mint leaf

While I absolutely adore rich chocolate desserts, sometimes a splash of color and little sweetness is just what I want to finish a meal.

These Mini Lemon Berry Pavlovas are the answer!

Stand mixer with whisk attachment full of fresh meringue.Tip: To get perfect mini Pavlovas, trace a small spice jar lid to pipe the meringue onto.

parchment paper with pencil and small black lid to trace for meringue bases for PavlovaJust like this . . .Meringue being piped into small bowls on parchment paper

What is Pavlova?

  • Pavlova is a meringue-based cake-like dessert with a crisp crust and soft interior. It’s typically topped with whipped cream and fresh fruit.
  • There has been an incredible amount of research on the origins of Pavlova, and debate over whether Australia or New Zealand gets credit for it. Australians and New Zealanders agree on one thing: Pavlova was named after the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, who visited both countries in the 1920s.
  • In 2008, The Pavlova Story: A Slice of New Zealand’s Culinary History, was published and says the first true Pavlova recipe was from New Zealand in 1929. The Australians believe that Pavlova began with a recipe by Bert Sachse, a chef in Perth, Western Australia. An article in Good Food states that “Dr Andrew Paul Wood, a New Zealander, and Australian Annabelle Utrecht have been tracing the origins of the dish for years. They can categorically state that the modern Pavlova began life as a German torte, eventually traveling to the United States where it evolved into its final form.” Wherever it’s from, I love it.

Meringue freshly piped into bowls for mini pavlova

How to Make Them

These Pavlovas are made in three parts: the meringue base, the filling of whipped cream, and the fruit topping with garnishes.

pile of fresh blueberries, blackberries and respberries on white background

  1. Meringues. The meringues are made by whisking the ingredients together for 10 minutes, piping the bases (which in this case, I call “bowls”), and then slowly baking them in a low oven.
  2. Filling. The whipped cream is made with a little bit of sugar and lemon zest, and is spooned into the meringue bowls once they’re baked and cooled.
  3. Topping. Fresh berries are added to the top with a bit of mint and lemon zest.
    (More detailed instructions are below.)

A dozen Mini Lemon Berry Pavlovas on parchment paper

When to Serve Them

I love making individual-sized desserts – and “mini” means you can splurge on more than one! They’re fun, pretty and oh-so-tasty!

Since these are easy to pick up with your hands and eat in one or two bites, they’re perfect for a cocktail party.

I also love them for dessert at a dinner party and they’re fabulous at a spring or summer brunch or barbecue.

Close up of one Mini Lemon Berry Pavlova

I hope you love making and eating these Mini Lemon Berry Pavlovas as much as I do.

Cheers!

Close up of one Mini Lemon Berry Pavlova with mint leaf

Mini Lemon Berry Pavlovas

Valentina K. Wein
A delightful and delicious treat, these beauties are ideal for cocktail parties, casual dinners, and spring and summer soirées.
Makes 56 Mini Pavlovas / serves about 28
4.91 from 11 votes
Print Recipe
Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 1 hr
Resting Time 30 mins
Total Time 2 hrs
Course Dessert
Cuisine Australian, Kiwi
Servings 28
Calories 96 kcal

Ingredients
  

Meringue

Filling

  • 1½ cups heavy whipping cream
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons lemon zest, plus a bit more for garnish

Topping

  • 2 cups fresh berries (your choice of any or all -- strawberries, blueberries, blackberries), washed and dried, diced if large
  • small mint leaves for garnish washed and dried
  • lemon zest for garnish

Instructions
 

Meringue

  • Preheat the Oven to 225˚F.
  • Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Use a pencil to trace a 1 3/4 inch round cutter, or spice jar lid, on each sheet of parchment paper 28 times, in even rows, with a bit of space between them. Press firmly with the pencil, so you can see it from the other side. Then flip each parchment paper over in the sheet pan. Set aside.
  • Ideally using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form, about 30 seconds. With mixer still on, gradually add the sugar, and continue to beat until stiff peaks form, about 6 minutes. You have achieved stiff peaks when you lift the whisk and the peak that forms stays in place, and it should be shiny. (You can also use a hand mixer with the whisk attachment.) Fold in the cornstarch, vanilla and lemon juice.
  • Fill a (1 gallon) zip-lock bag ½ to ¾ the way with the meringue and remove as much air as possible. Cut a tiny bit off one of the bottom corners of the bag - about ⅛ to ¼ inch. This is your piping bag. Alternately you can use a piping bag with a very small tip.
  • Now pipe round disks, using the traced circles showing through the parchment paper as a guide. Then go on top of the edges of the disks 2 to 3 times to form a short wall, creating a bowl of sorts. Repeat this process until all 56 are made between the two sheets of parchment paper.
  • Place in the 225˚F oven for 1 hour. Then turn off the oven and leave them inside for another 30 minutes. The outside should be dry to the touch, and the insides should be soft. Remove them from the oven and let them cool to room temperature on the baking sheets.

Filling

  • Use either a hand or stand mixer with the whisk attachment to whip the cream with the powdered sugar until soft peaks form. Fold in the lemon zest.

Assembly

  • Use two spoons or a piping bag to add about 1½ teaspoons of the whipped cream to each meringue “bowl.” Top each one with a few berries. Add a mint leaf and a sprinkle of lemon zest to each one.

Notes

Once cooled, the meringues can be stored in an airtight container for at least 4 days.
Assemble the Pavlovas as close to serving time as possible. If you have to do it any earlier than 30 minutes ahead, keep them refrigerated, uncovered until you’re ready to serve them. You should not assemble more than 2 hours ahead of time.
Keywords desserts for a group, summer party food, fresh fruit desserts
Have you tried this recipe?I'd love to see it on Instagram! Tag me at @cookingontheweekends or leave a comment & rating below.

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Comments

  1. Eha says

    Having lived in Australia since childhood methinks you will believe I have strong feelings about ‘our national dessert’ 🙂 ! Oh yes, the ‘argument’ Australia v New Zealand is there, but it is a very friendly one . . . But may I suggest that whatever you find on Mr Google you do not try to make this a US or UK offering or a Third World War may be very unexpectedly in the offing !! I’s OURS Down Under! After decades of making this pretty much your way and eating it for every holiday I have never seen the mini version thought of or used. Can accept that but we bake ours at a far lower temp and a shorter time and cool them in an ‘off’ oven. We do not have them as smooth: they should be crackly and somewhat broken on the outside and marshmallowy in the centre . . . and strawberries and passionfruit are the classical toppings: have never seen any other fruit used either. Anyways ‘thank you’ from Down Under . . .

    Reply

    • valentina says

      Hi Eha, I didn’t know too much about Pavlova until I did a bit of research. I only knew the name was Russian, and I’d thought it was Australian. I did not know about the New Zealand-Australia debate. I didn’t mean to imply that it was from the U.S. or anywhere else — that’s why I put it in quotes with a link to where I found that information. I hope it was lighthearted, and that I don’t sound defensive — I just want to be sure I’m not offending anyone. I do cool these in an ‘off’ oven for 30 minutes. I made them mini because I love desserts one can have in a bite or two, and though it would be fun and cute. 🙂 ~Valentina

      Reply

      • Eha says

        Lordie – of course you are not offending and many dinky-di Aussies may not agree with me 🙂 ! Actually I do not mind your interpretation at all – a most practical way of serving a rather healthy ‘bit at the end’ 🙂 ! If readers American and European really have not met this . . . please try and you will enjoy and thanks for the crunchy-softy bit of fun !!!

        Reply

        • valentina says

          🙂 Thank you for encouraging folks to try it. SO delicious! Have a great weekend — yours has already begun. 🙂 ~Valentina

          Reply

  7. Ron says

    Such cute little clouds of joy. Meringues and pavlovas are hugely popular over this way, but I’ve not seen a mini version. Great idea and helpful tip on making the Pavlovas uniform in shape. Thanks, for the history, as I love learning such things. I guess I just though a Pavlova’s origin was Russia.

    Reply

  13. Dawn - Girl Heart Food says

    Yes…just looking at these definitely makes me happy! You piped them perfectly! I dunno if my hand would be so steady. Love all the berries in there. So perfect for entertaining…or a random Friday night home with hubby 🙂 Happy Monday to ya!

    Reply

  14. David @ Spiced says

    I’m with you, Valentina…I don’t care where pavlovas originated. I’m just glad we know about ’em! This is a great guide, and I actually just sent it off to one of my friends as we were talking about pavlovas last weekend. This is a great dessert for summer!!

    Reply

    • valentina says

      Thanks for passing the recipe to your friend. Maybe they’ll make it for you!? 😀 Thanks for visiting, as always. 🙂

      Reply

  17. Rocky Mountain Woman says

    These look so perfect! I’m so bad at getting desserts to turn out pretty.

    Your video is a adorable and so is your cute family! I love your kitchen too. You should definitely do more videos, you have a great presence on camera.

    Reply

    • valentina says

      Thank you so much, Dorothy! I’m happy you you took some!! So happy you were there and helped make the party so fun. 🙂

      Reply

  19. Kathryn says

    Valentina, these are delightful little explosions of colour and taste….lovely. I think the whole idea of mini Pavlovas is great, particularly for a party!
    Now, I am a dyed-in-the-wool Aussie, born and bred and yes there has always been healthy debate over the origins of the ‘Pav’, and I will probably be disowned by my fellow Australians, but I am in the camp that says it’s an NZ creation (there I said it). I am ok with the Pav being NZ, we after all have Lamingtons and Anzac biscuits. 🙂

    Reply

    • valentina says

      I won’t tell anyone. 😉 ha! Well, wherever it’s from, it’s a brilliant creation. They are fun to make mini. Enjoy!

      Reply

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