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You can’t beat a Summer Berry Pavlova for the easiest gluten free dessert ever. Squidgy, crunchy meringue is topped with lashings of whipped cream and piled with berries – what’s not to love? It’s a true crowd-pleaser and surprisingly easy to make.
The BEST Pavlova Recipe With Summer Berries
- Why choose this recipe? This easy pavlova is the perfect dessert for the summer. It looks super fancy and is a great show-stopper for a BBQ or summer dinner. Plus if it does all go wrong, just smash it up and call it Eton Mess! 😆
- Top Tip: Always cool the meringue in the oven before opening the oven door. If you just whack open the oven and pull the meringue straight out, it’ll crack.
- Easy Variations: I top my meringue with a classic summer berry combination, but you could try tropical fruit like mango and pineapple, some vibrant slices of kiwi fruit, or even lashings of melted chocolate on top.
- Anything else? For a festive dessert make my Pavlova Wreath recipe, and if you want an autumnal take on this, try my Bonfire Night Pavlova with a sticky toffee apple filling. Meringue fans will also love my Toffee and Pecan Roulade.
Ingredients and Substitutions
There’s a printable recipe card below for this meringue pavlova with the full quantities. But here are the main ingredients and ideas for any swaps.
- Eggs You’ll only need the egg whites for this recipe – save the yolks for making my gluten free egg noodles or adding to an omelette or frittata!
- Sugar: I use caster sugar in the meringue (don’t use granulated, it’ll be gritty) and icing sugar in the whipped cream topping.
- White Wine Vinegar: or apple cider vinegar. This helps create a lovely, chewy meringue centre. A little goes a long way.
- Corn Flour: Or cornstarch in the US. This helps stabilise the meringue.
- Double Cream: Use heavy whipping cream in the US.
- Berries: I use fresh raspberries, blueberries and strawberries, with some extra passionfruit and mint leaves to decorate. But use any fresh fruit you like! Kiwi fruit, mango, pineapple, cherries, peaches and nectarines all work really well on pavlova.
How to Make a Pavlova
There’s a printable recipe card below with the method. But here are some step-by-step photos to show you how easy this gluten free pavlova recipe is to make.
Storing and Making Ahead
I recommend constructing the pavlova just before serving otherwise it will go soft. But there are a few tips and tricks you can use to get ahead!
TO MAKE AHEAD: I find a great tip to get ahead is baking the meringue before going to bed. Then turn off the oven and leave it in there (without opening the door!) to cool overnight. This will stop it cracking! You can also whip the cream and keep it in the fridge, then simply construct the pavlova just before serving.
TO STORE: Any leftovers will keep in the fridge for a day-or-so. The meringue may go a bit soft but it will still taste absolutely delicious the next day!
More Gluten Free Dessert Recipes
If you like this easy berry pavlova recipe then make sure you check out these other gluten free summer dessert recipes too…
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To make the meringue:
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Preheat the oven to 150C / Fan 130 / Gas Mark 2. Cut a sheet of baking paper lay it down on a baking tray. Draw around a large plate or bowl that you can use as a template for your meringue wreath.
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Separate the eggs, being careful not to get any yolk in with the whites. Add the egg whites to a large bowl and whisk with an electric whisk until they form stiff peaks. You should be able to tip the bowl upside down and they won’t move!
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Add the sugar to the egg white mixture, one dessert spoon at a time, while still whisking at a slightly slower speed. The mixture will thicken and become glossy as you do this.
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Add the white wine vinegar and cornflour and whisk for a further 30 seconds. Using two spoons, ‘dollop’ the meringue mixture onto the baking paper into a circular shape, with higher edges so it forms a sort of ‘bowl’ in the middle. Use the circle on the baking paper as a template.
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Place in the oven and bake for 1 hour, then turn off the oven and leave it to cool completely WITHOUT opening the oven door. Letting it cool slowly like this stops the meringue from cracking and crumbling!
To make the pavlova:
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Once the oven is completely cool, remove the meringue and very carefully lift it onto your serving plate.
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Add the double cream and icing sugar to a large bowl and whisk for a couple of minutes until it thickens to soft peaks. You want it to be spreadable but not too stiff.
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Either carefully spoon the whipped cream into the ‘well’ of the pavlova meringue, or use a piping bag to make it a bit more fancy.
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Arrange the berries on top of the whipped cream then drizzle with the passionfruit and some chopped mint leaves.
- Storing: This pavlova should really be served straight away, or the cream will start to soften the meringue. Any leftovers will keep for a couple of days in the fridge but be aware the meringue may go a bit squidgy overnight.
- To Make Ahead: If you do want to get ahead, you can make the meringue a day or two in advance and store in an airtight container at room temperature. You can also whip the cream up 24 hours in advance and keep in the fridge. Construct the pavlova just before serving.
- Weighing Scales vs Cups: You can toggle this recipe card to convert the ingredients into cups. However, I always recommend using weighing scales – these are cheap to buy and much more accurate. And in gluten free baking, a tiny variation can make a huge difference!
- Step-by-Step Photos: Check out the blog post above for step-by-step photos to show how this Pavlova recipe should look at each stage.
- Like this Recipe? It would mean SO much to me if you could leave a 5* review and a little comment about this Pavlova recipe. I’d love to know how you enjoyed yours or what toppings you chose, and any reviews REALLY help support my website. So thank you! xx
Serving: 8Servings | Calories: 431kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 19g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g
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