Raspberry & Pistachio Mini Pavlovas (video)
A delicious and pretty twist on traditional pavlova! You’ll love these raspberry and pistachio mini pavlovas, topped with whipped cream. They’re great for any occasion, all year round! Each mini pavlova is made with fluffy meringue, finely diced pistachios, raspberry preserves, and cream. This heavenly dessert is crispy on the outside, fluffy and marshmallow-y on the inside. I love the combination of the sweet meringue with the salty pistachios and tart raspberries!
Watch My Mini Pavlova Video Tutorial
Watch my YouTube video tutorial for these pistachio mini pavlovas! You’ll get all the details, plus step-by-step instructions. Want to keep up to date on the latest recipes? Make sure to subscribe to my website email list and my YouTube channel and turn on notifications.
Ingredients for Pistachio Pavlova
Here are my tips for the main ingredients you’ll need for this pavlova recipe. Find the full list with measurements in the printable recipe card below.
- Egg Whites: while both cold and room temperature egg whites will work, I find having the eggs at room temperature results in a fluffier meringue.
- Superfine Baker’s Sugar: also known as Castor Sugar. You’ll find this in most grocery stores, sold right next to regular sugar. This super fine sugar dissolves completely in the meringue, making it the best option for making pavlova. Using regular sugar can result in your pavlova ‘weeping’ syrup from undissolved sugar crystals.
- Pistachios: I love to use roasted, salted pistachios for this recipe. The sweet and slightly salty combo is so delicious!
- Raspberry Preserves: this recipe will also work great with strawberry or apricot preserves.
- Heavy Cream: for making the whipped cream topping.
Supplies & Tools for the Recipe
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- Disposable Pastry Bags
- Ateco Tip No. 806
- French Star Tip No. 8
- Baker’s Sugar (Castor Sugar)
- Aluminum Baking Sheets
- KitchenAid Stand Mixer
Preparing for the Recipe
Before starting on this mini pavlova recipe, you’ll need to prepare a few items.
- Wash your mixing bowl and whisk attachment with white vinegar and a degreasing soap to ensure no grease residue is leftover from a previous recipe. Dry the bowl with clean paper towels.
- Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. If you have them, place silicon mats underneath the paper for better heat protection.
Making the Pavlova Meringue
Making the meringue for pavlova is super easy but does take a little bit of time. You’ll want to add the sugar slowly!
- Place the eggs white, lemon juice, and vanilla extract into a stand mixer bowl with the whisk attachment. In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, cream of tartar, and cornstarch, mixing them together.
- Turn the mixer on to a medium speed (I use the number 4 setting). Begin adding 1 tablespoon of sugar at a time, waiting about 5 to 7 seconds in between additions. Try to avoid the whisk attachment, adding the sugar off to the side. This process will take about 6 to 9 minutes.
- Once all the sugar is added, continue to whisk the meringue on medium speed. This will allow the sugar to completely dissolve. Whisk for another 5 to 7 minutes, until the meringue is glossy and forms stiff peaks.
- Check for sugar granules! Place a small amount of meringue between two fingers and rub together. The meringue should be smooth with no grit.
Folding in Pistachios
Next, it’s time to add the pistachios! You can add the pistachios to the entire bowl of meringue, or just to part of it, making a center filling.
- Remove about 2 cups of the meringue into a separate bowl. Add the finely diced pistachios; I put mine through a food processor. Gently fold in the nuts, without overmixing the meringue.
- Transfer the pistachio meringue into a pastry bag tipped with a simple round tip. I used Ateco tip number 806.
How to Make Mini Pavlovas
- Pipe small dollops, about 1-inch across of the pistachio meringue onto your prepared baking sheets. Space these several inches apart.
- Transfer the remaining plain meringue into a pastry bag tipped with a star tip; I used a French Star tip #8.
- Pipe the meringue around the pistachio dollops, forming little nests. Watch my video tutorial to see how it’s done.
- If you added the pistachios to the whole bowl of meringue, simply pipe meringue nests onto your baking sheet.
- If you have some pistachio meringue leftover, make small pistachio meringue kisses. These are so delicious!
- Sprinkle the mini pavlovas with additional finely diced pistachios over the top before baking.
Baking the Pistachio Pavlovas
Preheat the oven to 200F. Stagger the baking sheets in your oven so one pan isn’t completely covering the other. Move around the oven racks if necessary.
Bake the mini pavlovas for 40 minutes, then turn the oven off and do not open the oven door! Allow the meringue to cool slowly with the oven closed for 2 to 3 hours, or overnight.
Opening the oven door too early will cause the meringue to crack! It needs to cool very slowly.
Easy Whipped Cream Recipe
Prepare the whipped cream when you are ready to assemble and serve the pavlovas.
- Place the chilled heavy cream, vanilla, and powdered sugar into a large measuring cup or mixing bowl.
- Whisk for 4 to 5 minutes, until stiff peaks form. Start out on a slow speed and gradually work your way up to ‘high’ speed.
- Keep the whipped cream refrigerated until ready to use.
Assembling the Mini Pavlovas
Make sure the pavlovas are completely cooled before adding the cream and preserves. I recommend waiting to assemble these until you’re ready to serve. Once assembled, you’ll want to enjoy the pavlovas within a few hours.
If the centers of your mini pavlovas expanded and filled during baking, use a small round spoon or melon baller and gently compress the centers to create more space.
Drop a teaspoon or two of raspberry preserves into the center of each pavlova. Add a heaping spoonful of whipped cream on top, then garnish with diced pistachios and fresh raspberries.
More Recipes!
Enjoyed this easy and delicious dessert recipe? Check out some of my other recipes you’re sure to enjoy!
- Classic Pavlova Recipe – a stunning dessert made with meringue, topped with lemon curd, whipped cream, and raspberries. So delicious!
- Chocolate Lavender Pavlova – I love this one for springtime! Delicate chocolate pavlova topped with lavender flavored whipped cream and sweet blackberries.
- Wreath Pavlova with Berries – great for Christmas, or anytime of the year you need a stunning dessert! Ring shaped pavlova topped with tart raspberry sauce, whipped cream, and mixed berries.
Share it on Pinterest!
Raspberry Pistachio Mini Pavlovas Recipe (video)
Ingredients
For Meringue:
- 6 large egg whites, at room temp
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups superfine sugar, castor sugar
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/2 cup finely diced pistachios, salted, roasted
For Whipped Cream:
- 1 cup heavy cream, chilled
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
For Topping:
- 1/2 cup finely diced pistachios
- 1/3 cup raspberry preserves
- fresh raspberries, for garnish
Instructions
Preparing for the Recipe:
- Wash your mixing bowl and whisk attachment with white vinegar and a degreasing soap to ensure no grease residue is leftover from a previous recipe. Dry the bowl with clean paper towels.
- Preheat the oven to 200F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. If you have them, place silicon mats underneath the paper for better heat protection.
Making the Meringue:
- Place the eggs white, lemon juice, and vanilla extract into a stand mixer bowl with the whisk attachment. In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, cream of tartar, and cornstarch, mixing them together.
- Turn the mixer on to a medium speed (I use the number 4 setting). Begin adding 1 tablespoon of sugar at a time, waiting about 5 to 7 seconds in between additions. Try to avoid the whisk attachment, adding the sugar off to the side. This process will take about 6 to 9 minutes.
- Once all the sugar is added, continue to whisk the meringue on medium speed. This will allow the sugar to completely dissolve. Whisk for another 5 to 7 minutes, until the meringue is glossy and forms stiff peaks.
- Check for sugar granules! Place a small amount of meringue between two fingers and rub together. The meringue should be smooth with no grit.
Adding Pistachios:
- Next, it’s time to add the pistachios! You can add the pistachios to the entire bowl of meringue, or just to part of it, making a center filling.
- Remove about 2 cups of the meringue into a separate bowl. Add the finely diced pistachios; I put mine through a food processor. Gently fold in the nuts, without overmixing the meringue.
- Transfer the pistachio meringue into a pastry bag tipped with a simple round tip. I used Ateco tip number 806.
Shaping/Piping the Meringue:
- Pipe small dollops, about 1-inch across of the pistachio meringue onto your prepared baking sheets. Space these several inches apart.
- Transfer the remaining plain meringue into a pastry bag tipped with a star tip; I used a French Star tip #8.
- Pipe the meringue around the pistachio dollops, forming little nests. Watch my video tutorial to see how it’s done.
- If you added the pistachios to the whole bowl of meringue, simply pipe meringue nests onto your baking sheet.
- If you have some pistachio meringue leftover, make small pistachio meringue kisses. These are so delicious!
- Sprinkle the mini pavlovas with additional finely diced pistachios over the top before baking.
Baking Instructions:
- Stagger the baking sheets in your oven so one pan isn’t completely covering the other. Move around theoven racks if necessary.
- Bake the mini pavlovas at 200F for 40 minutes, then turn the oven off and do not open the oven door! Allow the meringue to cool slowly with the oven closed for 2 to 3 hours, or overnight.
- Opening the oven door too early will cause the meringue to crack! It needs to cool very slowly.
Making Whipped Cream:
- Place the chilled heavy cream, vanilla, and powdered sugar into a large measuring cup or mixing bowl.
- Whisk for 4 to 5 minutes, until stiff peaks form. Start out on a slow speed and gradually work your way up to ‘high’ speed.
- Keep the whipped cream refrigerated until ready to use.
Assembling the Mini Pavlovas:
- Make sure the pavlovas are completely cooled before adding the cream and preserves. I recommend waiting to assemble these until you’re ready to serve. Once assembled, you’ll want to enjoy the pavlovas within a few hours. You can prepare the pavlova up to 2 days ahead of time; keep at room temp.
- If the centers of your mini pavlovas expanded and filled during baking, use a small round spoon or melon baller and gently compress the centers to create more space.
- Drop a teaspoon or two of raspberry preserves into the center of each pavlova. Add a heaping spoonful of whipped cream on top, then garnish with diced pistachios and fresh raspberries.
Where do you get your raspberry preserves from ? Make it yourself, or can you buy it ? – I have never heard of it in Denmark .
Hi Lise! I get mine at the grocery store. These are the same as raspberry jam. You can also use crushed raspberries. Enjoy!
Followed this to a T and used metic measurements. The flavor was good by after 4 hours in the oven (49 min at 200 and 3 hours with the oven off) the pavlovas were still almost completely raw. I’d bake l this again because the flavors were that good. Maybe a higher baking temp? Or just longer.? Would love to know which to try if not both.
Sorry they didn’t turn out the way you were expecting. Pavlova is supposed to be soft and chewy in the center, and lightly crispy on the outside. I’ve made this recipe many times and the baking time is correct. These need to bake for 40 minutes, then cool in the oven.