Pavlova with whipped yogurt cream, peaches, and raspberries

A little yogurt brings freshness to a tried-and-tested favorite.

Photo: Ruth Barry

Pavlova is a dessert so adaptable that I can’t imagine a gathering or season where it would be out of place. It’s at its best in summer, of course, heaped with fruit: strawberries, fat slices of peach, cherries, blueberries, raspberries. (It can be a star in winter too, topped with a medley of refreshing citrus fruits. It's a light touch in a season heavy with rich and decadent flavors.) It’s a breeze to make, only really requiring a drop of patience and a chunk of time.

The formula is so simple—meringue, cream, fruit—it’s hard to improve on. But lightening the whipped cream with a bit of yogurt borders on game-changing. A couple of weeks ago, I noticed the birds showing a great deal of interest in our peach tree. I trust their judgement, and so I sliced a few on top of a pavlova, with raspberries dotted in between. And, just as we share our peaches with the birds, I sent the leftover pavlova across the road to my neighbor. Pavlova doesn’t keep, so the only thing to do is to share it far and wide.

Photo: Ruth Barry

Pavlova with whipped yogurt cream, peaches, and raspberries

Serves 6

For the pavlova:

• 110 grams (about 4 ounces) egg whites

• 200 grams (7 ounces) fine sugar

• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

For the whipped yogurt cream:

• 300 grams (10.5 ounces) heavy cream

• 40 grams (1.5 ounces) powdered sugar

• 150 grams (5 ounces) 10% fat yogurt

• generous pinch of salt

To finish:

• 6 ripe peaches, pitted and sliced

• 100 grams (3.5 ounces) raspberries (or more if you like!)

Equipment:

• Stand mixer or electric hand mixer

• Baking sheet

Add the egg whites to the bowl of your stand mixer (or a large metal bowl if you’re using a hand mixer). Use the whisk attachment to whip your egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Mix the salt into the sugar, then add the sugar into the egg whites, one tablespoonful at a time. Add the next tablespoonful when the egg whites look a little glossy and smooth. This is time-consuming, but adding the sugar slowly ensures you won’t end up with a grainy meringue.

Photo: Ruth Barry

Once all of the sugar is incorporated into the egg whites, preheat the oven to 140ºC (285ºF), and line a greased baking sheet with baking parchment. Transfer your meringue mixture to the baking sheet and use a spatula to spread it into a rough circle. Try to keep the sides a little higher than the middle, forming a sort of shallow crater. Transfer the baking sheet to the center of the preheated oven, and immediately drop the temperature to 120ºC (250ºF). Bake for one hour and 30 minutes (or longer if you prefer a drier, less chewy meringue), then allow to cool completely in the switched-off oven, without opening the door.

Photo: Ruth Barry

When the meringue is cool, prepare the filling. Use a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer to whip the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and salt until firm peaks form, then gently mix through the yogurt. Transfer the whipped yogurt cream to the pavlova crater, then top with the peaches and raspberries. Serve immediately. The pavlova is best eaten the day it’s made.