Description
These Mini Pavlova Christmas Trees are a festive and elegant dessert perfect for holiday celebrations. Made from light and airy meringue shaped into small tree forms, topped with whipped cream, pistachio crumbs, and vibrant decorations like raspberries, silver cachous, and freeze-dried raspberry powder, they make a visually stunning centerpiece that’s both delicious and gluten-free.
Ingredients
Scale
Meringue
- 6 free-range egg whites, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups caster sugar
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- 3 tsp cornflour
Decoration
- 1/4 cup Sunbeam Australian Pistachios
- 300ml thickened cream
- 1 tsp pure icing sugar
- 1 tsp rosewater
- Silver cachous (silver edible balls) for decorating
- Raspberries
- Freeze-dried raspberry powder
- Strawberries, to serve
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare trays: Preheat your oven to 100°C fan-forced (120°C conventional). Grease two large oven trays. On two sheets of baking paper, mark four 4.5cm circles each, leaving space between each circle. Place the sheets marked side down onto the prepared trays.
- Make the meringue: Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add the caster sugar, one tablespoon at a time, ensuring it dissolves each time before adding more. Add the white vinegar and cornflour, then beat until the mixture is fully combined, glossy, and holds stiff peaks.
- Pipe the meringue trees: Transfer one quarter of the meringue mixture into a large piping bag fitted with a 1cm plain nozzle. Pipe small mounds of meringue onto the marked circles on the trays as bases. Place the remaining meringue into another piping bag fitted with a 0.5cm fluted nozzle. Starting at the base of each mound, pipe three rows of small vertical layers around to create the shape of Christmas trees.
- Bake the meringues: Bake the meringues in the oven for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until the edges are crisp but not colored. After baking, turn off the oven and leave the pavlovas to cool inside with the door slightly ajar to prevent cracking.
- Prepare pistachio crumbs: Place the pistachios in a small food processor and pulse until they become fine crumbs, suitable for sprinkling.
- Whip the cream: Using an electric mixer, beat the thickened cream with the icing sugar and rosewater until just-firm peaks form.
- Decorate the pavlova trees: Put one quarter of the whipped cream into a small piping bag fitted with a small plain nozzle. Pipe little rounds of cream onto the meringue trees to act as glue for the decorations. Decorate the trees with silver cachous, fresh raspberries, and a sprinkle of freeze-dried raspberry powder. Finally, sprinkle the pistachio crumbs on top and serve the pavlovas with strawberries and the remaining cream on the side.
Notes
- Ensure egg whites are at room temperature for better volume when whipping.
- Allow the pavlovas to cool slowly in the oven to avoid cracks.
- Piping the cream onto the trees before decorating helps the toppings stick well.
- You can substitute pistachios with another nut if preferred, but it will alter the flavor slightly.
- Store leftover pavlovas in an airtight container to maintain crispness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 mini pavlova tree
- Calories: 210 kcal
- Sugar: 24 g
- Sodium: 15 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg
