A twist on the classic, this Lemon Curd Pavlova is the perfect blend of sweet, creamy and tangy. A lovely dessert than can be enjoyed at any time of the year.
The first time I made this Lemon Curd Pavlova was for Christmas lunch. It went down a real treat with my family!
A twist on your regular pav, the tart lemon curd compliments the fluffy pav and cream so well. If you're a lemon curd fan, be sure to check out my amazing Lemon Meringue Pie. For the chocolate lovers, you can't go past the amazing Chocolate Cherry Pavlova.
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Ingredient notes:
- Caster sugar: When making meringues or pavlova, caster sugar works better than white sugar. Caster sugar is finer than granulated white sugar therefore it dissolves quicker.
- Eggs: Try and use eggs that are as fresh as possible. The fresher they are, the easier they 'knit' together to create a silky meringue base.
- Lemon Curd: Homemade lemon curd is so satisfying to make and eat. However, if you're short on time - grab a jar of store bought lemon curd from the supermarket. Or for another recipe to use it in, try our amazing Limoncello Tiramisu.
Note: Scroll to the recipe card for the ingredients, quantities and the full method.
Step by step instructions:
Preheat oven to 180°C fan bake. Draw a 22cm circle on a piece of baking paper and place on a baking tray with the circle side down.
Pavlova: Separate the egg whites into a clean mixing bowl and keep the yolks for the lemon curd. Add the salt and whip until they come to a soft peak.
Slowly pour in the caster sugar then whip on high until it reaches stiff peaks. Fold through the vanilla, cornflour and lemon juice.
Pile the meringue in the centre of the drawn circle. Use a spatula to spread it out to the edge of the circle, keeping it as round and even as possible.
Bake for 5 minutes at 180°C then lower the temperature to 120°C and bake for an hour. Don't open the oven. Turn the oven off and leave the pavlova until it cools down or overnight.
Lemon curd: Add the egg yolks, sugar, lemon zest and juice to a small saucepan. Slowly bring up the heat, mixing continuously so the eggs do not overcook.
When the lemon curd gets hot enough it will thicken to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and mix in the butter, then set aside to cool. Once cooled, if needed, thin with water until it has a pouring consistency.
To serve: Place the pavlova on a serving plate and top with whipped cream, drizzle over the cooled lemon curd.
Use a peeler to shave white chocolate curls on the top then serve immediately.
Recipe FAQs:
The key to perfectly whipped egg whites is ensuring there is no fat in them. This means taking extra care when separating them, to ensure no yolk gets into the whites. You will also need a very clean mixing bowl. I wipe half a lemon around my mixing bowl before putting my egg whites in. This removes any fatty residue that might be there.
When cooking the lemon curd ingredients in the saucepan, be careful not to overheat them. Slowly bring the heat up and mix continuously. Alternatively, you could use a double boiler but this will take longer.
Yes, pavlova could be made two days ahead of time! Store the pavlova by itself in an airtight container in the pantry. Store any sauces or toppings in an airtight container in the fridge. On the day you want to serve it, whip some fresh cream then assemble everything together.
Storage:
Keep this pavlova in the fridge until is is ready to serve. Because pavlova is usually made with fresh cream, it is best eaten on the day it is made. If kept in an airtight container in the fridge, you could also eat it the following day.
Top tips:
If you make your lemon curd ahead of time and you find it has thickened up too much, you can fix this by adding a little cold water. Mix the water through until a better consistency is achieved then pour on top of the pavlova.
Other Pavlova Recipes To Try:
- Super Sized Berry Pavlova
- Mini Tropical Pavlovas
- Christmas Mini Pavlova Wreath
- Mini Pavlovas
- Mango Pavlova
- Chocolate Cherry Pavlova
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Lemon Curd Pavlova
A perfectly cooked pavlova topped with whipped cream, homemade lemon curd and grated white chocolate.
Ingredients
Pavlova
- 6 egg whites
- Pinch of salt
- 1 ½ cups caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 2 tsp cornflour
- 1 tsp lemon juice
Lemon curd
- 3 egg yolks
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 Tbsp lemon zest
- ½ cup lemon juice
- 30g butter
- ⅓ cup water
To serve
- 375ml cream, whipped
- 50g white chocolate, to serve
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C fan bake. Draw a 22cm circle on a piece of baking paper and place on a baking tray with the circle side down.
- Pavlova: Separate the egg whites into a clean mixing bowl and keep the yolks for the lemon curd. Add the salt and whip until they come to a soft peak.
- Slowly pour in the caster sugar then whip on high until it reaches stiff peaks. Fold through the vanilla, cornflour and lemon juice.
- Pile the meringue in the centre of the drawn circle. Use a spatula to spread it out to the edge of the circle, keeping it as round and even as possible.
- Bake for 5 minutes at 180°C then lower the temperature to 120°C and bake for an hour. Don’t open the oven. Turn the oven off and leave the pavlova until it cools down or overnight.
- Lemon curd: Add the egg yolks, sugar, lemon zest and juice to a small saucepan. Slowly bring up the heat, mixing continuously so the eggs do not overcook.
- When the lemon curd gets hot enough it will thicken to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and mix in the butter, then set aside to cool. Once cold, if needed thin with water until it has a pouring consistency.
- To serve: Place the pavlova on a serving plate and top with whipped cream, drizzle over the cooled lemon curd.
- Use a peeler to shave white chocolate curls on the top then serve immediately.
Notes
- Pavlova could be made two days ahead of time. Store the pavlova by itself in an airtight container in the pantry. Store any sauces or toppings in an airtight container in the fridge. On the day you want to serve it, whip some fresh cream then assemble everything together.
- Because pavlova is usually made with fresh cream, it is best eaten on the day it is made. If kept in an airtight container in the fridge, you could also eat it the following day.
- If you make your lemon curd ahead of time and you find it has thickened up too much, you can fix this by adding a little cold water. Mix the water through until a better consistency is achieved then pour on top of the pavlova.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 453Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 132mgSodium: 108mgCarbohydrates: 57gFiber: 0gSugar: 56gProtein: 6g
Nutritional values are approximate. Please use your own calculations if you require a special diet.
Thank you for checking out this recipe. I hope you enjoy making and eating it! If you have any questions, queries or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below.
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Vanya
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