No.91 The 100 Most Popular Recipes Ever · October 2026

Pavlova

Made famous by Stephanie Alexander

Photo: brett jordan, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

From The Cook's Companion, 1996.

The meringue cake both Australia and New Zealand claim, named for the ballerina Anna Pavlova. Stephanie Alexander's book is the one Australian kitchens keep.

Written in our own words and tested in a home kitchen. Get the original in The Cook's Companion.

Ingredients

• 4 large egg whites, at room temperature
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup plus 2 tbsp (225 g) superfine (caster) sugar
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) heavy cream
• Pulp of 4 passion fruit, plus berries, sliced kiwi or mango

Steps

1. Heat the oven to 300F (150C). Draw an 8-inch (20 cm) circle on parchment, flip it over and put it on a baking sheet.
2. In a very clean bowl, whisk the egg whites and salt until they hold firm peaks.
3. With the mixer running, add the sugar a tablespoon at a time, beating well after each, until the meringue is thick, glossy and the sugar has dissolved (rub a bit between your fingers; it shouldn't feel gritty).
4. Sprinkle over the cornstarch, vinegar and vanilla and fold in gently.
5. Pile the meringue onto the circle and shape it into a round with slightly raised sides and a shallow dip in the middle.
6. Put it in the oven and immediately turn the heat down to 250F (120C). Bake 1 1/4 hours, until dry and crisp outside and pale.
7. Turn the oven off and leave the pavlova inside with the door slightly open until completely cool, at least 1 hour. Cracks are normal.
8. Just before serving, whip the cream to soft peaks, spoon it over, and top with the passion fruit and other fruit.

Chef's tips

• Don't top it until you're ready to serve, or the cream softens the shell.
• The baked shell keeps 2 days in an airtight tin.

This is Chef Amazing's write-up of the dish, tested for a home kitchen. The original is in The Cook's Companion by Stephanie Alexander: get the book, No. 83 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks.

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