Vegan Pavlova
Pavlova – the name alone sounds like ballet, elegance, and a hint of drama. The dessert was named after Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, who toured Australia and New Zealand in the 1920s. Both countries still claim to have invented the dessert to this day – a culinary dispute that'll probably never be resolved. Well, we're just happy that we f-i-n-a-l-l-y managed to make this dessert vegan, because it's really not that easy. After all, it's mostly made of lots and lots of egg. Oof!
But what exactly is Pavlova?
Traditionally, Pavlova consists of a crispy meringue base that's primarily made from whipped egg whites. The whole thing is topped with cream and fresh fruits – usually berries, kiwi, or passion fruit.
Potato protein instead of aquafaba – why?
While many vegan meringue recipes rely on aquafaba (chickpea water), we use potato protein. The reason is simple: it whips up much more stable, lasts longer, and tastes more neutral. You can get potato protein at well-stocked organic stores, health food stores, or online.
What's particularly important during preparation?
Fine sugar is your best friend with this recipe. That's why we grind regular sugar briefly in the blender beforehand – this way it dissolves better and the meringue becomes smoother. The apple cider vinegar ensures that the proteins become even more stable and the meringue holds its shape. A stand mixer is really worth its weight in gold for this recipe, because the whipping takes time and your arms will thank you.
Definitely stick to the times we specify in the recipe. So if you're supposed to whip the meringue for 5 minutes, make sure it's really 5 minutes at the end. Also check your oven beforehand, because it should be able to be set to 90°C/194°F (fan). This is super important so your meringue can dry slowly and gently.
Can you modify the whole thing?
No berries at home? No problem! Try it with mango pieces, kiwi, or even roasted nuts. Instead of the berry sauce, you can also make a passion fruit sauce or simply stick with the whipped cream. You can get creative with the toppings: powdered sugar for the classic look, but matcha or cocoa powder also work great.
Vegan Pavlova
Ingredients
For the vegan meringue:
- 125 g (0.66 cup) sugar
- 10 g (0.33 oz) potato protein
- 80 ml (0.33 cup) ice-cold water
- 0.5 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 g (0.5 tsp) cornstarch
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
For the pavlova:
- 200 ml (0.75 cup) plant-based cream for whipping
- 8 g (1 tbsp) vanilla sugar
- 8 g (1 tbsp) cream stabilizer
- 150 g (1.25 cups) frozen berries
- fresh berries
- fresh mint
- powdered sugar
Instructions
- Place the sugar in a blender (alternatively use a mortar) and blend briefly to make it finer. At the end, it should be like coarse powdered sugar.
- Add water and apple cider vinegar to a mixing bowl. Slowly sprinkle in the potato protein while whipping everything with a hand mixer or stand mixer. Once everything is combined, let it swell for 5 minutes. Preheat the oven to 90 °C/194 °F (fan).
- Now whip with the stand mixer on highest setting for 5–7 minutes until a firm, glossy foam forms.
- Add the fine sugar tablespoon by tablespoon while continuing to whip. Whip for another 5–7 minutes total until the mixture is stiff and smooth. At the end, rub a little foam between two fingers – if it's no longer grainy, the sugar has dissolved well.
- Now gently and briefly fold in the cornstarch and vanilla extract. Place the vegan meringue on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and form small wells. Bake for 90–100 minutes at 90 °C/194 °F (fan). Then turn off the oven and let cool for 1 hour with the door open. Afterwards, immediately pack airtight, otherwise the meringue becomes soft and sticky.
- In the meantime, whip the plant-based cream with cream stabilizer and vanilla sugar, and cook the frozen berries in a pot and blend if necessary.
- Decorate the cooled meringue with vegan whipped cream, berry sauce, fresh berries, mint, and powdered sugar.
