Mini Pavlova Nests

Sweet, tangy lemon curd and fresh blueberries on top of light and crispy meringue shells, these mini pavlova nests may seem fancy but they are actually incredibly easy to make and will leave your family and friends impressed!

These mini meringue nests are serious perfection guys. And don't be fooled, they are not hard to make. Do they take a little time and patience? Yes. But are they difficult? No!

They are so light and wonderfully fresh with the Meyer lemon curd and blueberries (or you can use blueberry curd!), and just a tiny sprig of fresh mint. This is what life is all about.

What is pavlova?

A pavlova is a meringue based cake (really a giant meringue cookie) that is typically topped with fruit and whipped cream. It is baked until crisp on the outside, but still light and airy on the inside.

Why these mini pavlova nests works

• The meringue shells are crispy on the outside, and chewy in the middle - perfect for holding cream and fruit.
• The tartness of the lemon curd and blueberries complements the sweetness of the meringues perfectly.
• Using room temperature egg whites helps the egg whites to whip up easier.
• Adding the sugar slowly keeps the meringue from getting grainy.
• Baking the pavlova in low heat for an extended amount of time gives them their perfect texture.

Ingredients

The full list of ingredients and amounts is included in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

The ingredients are really quite simple - egg whites, sugar, vanilla extract and cream of tartar (helps get the peaks stiff). Using fresh eggs will result in the best pavlovas - they whip up easier!

Cream of tartar is used to help stabilize the pavlova.

The remaining ingredients are to make the filling and can be substituted if desired (see below).

Substitutions and variations for toppings

• Substitute any flavor of extract for the vanilla - you can try almond extract, lemon extract, peppermint extract (great for the, holidays drizzled with chocolate), rum, strawberry, coconut, etc.
• Substitute any type of filling - you can use fresh diced strawberries, raspberries or blueberries (or any fresh fruit or fresh berries). It's also great with fresh flavored whipped cream, nutella, chocolate, honey, any crushed nuts, etc.
• Make it seasonal by filling with pumpkin pie filling, cinnamon sugar pecans, spiced apple filling (or any fall fruit filling).
• Fill with fresh made sous vide yogurt (plain or flavored), whipped mascarpone, red candied cherries or even chopped candied lemon slices.

Step by step instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 225°F.

2. Place the egg whites in a bowl and beat on a medium-high setting until frothy (about 2-3 minutes). Add the salt and cream of tartar and beat 1 minute. You can use a hand mixer or a stand mixer.

3. Add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, while beating the egg whites until all sugar has been incorporated and stiff peaks form. Add the sugar 30 seconds apart to ensure it has time to dissolve.

4. Gently fold in the lemon juice and vanilla.

5. Place the meringue mixture in a piping bag fitted with a tip. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Pipe the egg whites onto the baking sheet in 2 - 2 ½" circles. Place them 1" apart on the baking sheet.

6. Using a spoon, make an indentation in the center of each meringue so there is a spot for the lemon curd.

7. Place the meringues in oven and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes minutes (75 minutes). Turn off the oven and let the meringues sit in the warm oven for another 2 hours, or up to overnight.

8. Remove and let cool fully. Fill each of the individual pavlova nests with a dollop of lemon curd and top with several blueberries. Garnish the crisp meringue nests with mint and drizzle with honey (optional).

Substitute blueberry curd or lime curd for the lemon curd if you'd like.

Expert tips to make mini meringue pavlovas

1. Use room temperature egg whites to make the meringue.
2. Make sure there is no egg yolk, egg shell or any other foreign objects in the egg whites. This can affect how they whip up.
3. Add the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, whipping for at least 30 seconds in between. This helps the sugar to dissolve so the meringue is not grainy.
4. If you don't have a piping bag, you can spoon the mixture onto a baking sheet in 2" circles.
5. When the meringues are done cooking, DO NOT open the oven. You want the heat to stay in while they sit for at least 2 hours.

Frequently asked questions

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