mini pavlovas with vanilla bean chantilly & lemony, vanilla infused blackberry compote

These individual pavlovas are a perfect dessert with a light, vanilla bean chantilly (sweetened whipped cream with a fancy name) and topped with a bright, lemony vanilla-infused blackberry compote.

why you’ll love pavlovas with vanilla bean chantilly & blackberry compote

• They are a perfect way to use up some egg whites after making lemon bar cookies.
• They are refreshing and light with the perfect balance of textures: crunchy, chewy, fluffy, and saucy.
• The chantilly cream is incredibly easy to make, as it is nothing more than whipped heavy cream with some sugar, salt, and vanilla.
• The blackberry compote is infused with lemon zest and vanilla bean, giving it a lovely depth of flavor. To keep things simple (and cheaper), all the vanilla flavor is coming from vanilla bean paste rather than whole vanilla bean pods.

ingredients in mini pavlovas with vanilla bean chantilly & lemony, vanilla infused blackberry compote

the pavlova

• egg whites– make up the base of the meringue
• granulated sugar– to stabilize and sweeten the meringue
• salt– for flavor and a better whip on the meringue; I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If you don’t have that, use half the amount of table salt.
• cream of tartar– to help stabilize the meringue
• cornstarch– to aid in a fluffy texture inside the pavlova
• white vinegar– adding an acid helps to stabilize and add structure to the meringue so the pavlovas *hopefully* don’t collapse
• vanilla bean paste– for flavor

the chantilly whipped cream

• heavy whipping cream
• powdered sugar– to sweeten the whipped cream; powdered sugar is better here than granulated sugar for two reasons: 1) powdered sugar dissolves much more quickly than granulated sugar and 2) the cornstarch in powdered sugar helps stabilize the whipped cream
• salt– for flavor; I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If you don’t have that, use half the amount of table salt.
• vanilla bean paste– for flavor

the blackberry compote

• blackberries– obviously
• granulated sugar– for sweetness and texture
• lemon zest– for flavor and brightness
• lemon juice– for flavor and brightness
• salt– for flavor; I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If you don’t have that, use half the amount of table salt.
• vanilla bean paste– for flavor

supplies needed

• stand mixer (preferred) or hand mixer– You really don’t want to be making the meringue with a wire whisk. The chantilly can be made with a wire whisk, but even that will be a workout.
• scale– trust me on this; it will make your life so much easier
• measuring spoons
• baking sheet
• parchment paper– I love pre-cut parchment paper from Kana Lifestyle
• piping bags– I use these for my royal icing decorating, so they are what I have on hand and use for bakes like these.
• Wilton 6B piping tip– optional, although pretty
• large cookie scoop (like a #12)- optional, but makes it easier to scoop the meringue onto the baking sheet; you could alternatively use a big spoon
• offset spatula– optional; you could alternatively use a silicone spatula or a spoon to shape the pavlovas
• microplane/zester– for the lemon zest
• juicer– for the lemon juice; I just use a simple and inexpensive citrus juicer
• saucepan– to cook the compote

how to make mini pavlovas with vanilla bean chantilly & lemony, vanilla infused blackberry compote

These individual pavlovas are a perfect dessert with a light, vanilla bean chantilly (sweetened whipped cream with a fancy name) and topped with a bright, lemon infused blackberry compote. They are not complicated to make, and make a fantastic, somewhat fancy dessert. There are three components: the pavlovas, the whipped cream (i.e., chantilly), and the blackberry compote.

make the pavlovas first

These mini, individual pavlovas are made from a French meringue that is either piped or shaped to resemble little bowls and then baked until crispy on the outside and marshmallowy/chewy on the inside.

Start out by making your French meringue in the bowl of a stand mixer- weigh your egg whites and add the cream of tartar and salt. Whip on medium-low speed until the egg whites are foamy. Slowly add the granulated sugar to the meringue until it is thick and glossy. I add the sugar in about one tablespoon increments every 30 seconds to a minute. No need to time this; it’s not an exact science. Just make sure to not have a bunch of sugar not incorporated when the meringue is nearly done. That will cause a grainy meringue since the sugar won’t have time to dissolve.

Once the meringue has reached a stiff peak and is thick and glossy, take the bowl off the stand mixer and gently fold in the cornstarch, vinegar, and vanilla bean paste.

Once the meringue is ready to go, scoop mounds of meringue onto a parchment lined baking sheet and gently shape them how you’d like. There are so many ways to shape them, but for these, I decided to go a very simple route. I scooped my meringue with a very large cookie scoop in large dollops a couple inches apart, making about 10-12 (I always get 10) little pavlovas. Using an offset spatula, I smoothed out the sides of my dollops, making a short cylinder. For the top, I made sure to leave a bit of an indentation to allow for some filling.

Bake the mini pavlovas at 275 F for 30 minutes, reduce the heat to 250 F and bake for an additional 30 minutes. Turn off the oven, and leave the pavlovas in the oven for at least another hour, or even overnight if you’re making these ahead.

make the blackberry compote

The blackberry compote is incredibly easy- just add all the ingredients to a saucepan and cook on medium-low heat, stirring every once in a while, until the compote is simmering and the berries are easily smashed. Don’t smash the berries entirely- you want to have some pieces of berry in the compote. The cooking process takes about 15 minutes. Once the compote is cooked thoroughly, transfer to a container and store in the fridge to cool down entirely before using. (This is a great component to make ahead!)

make the chantilly whipped cream

Chantilly cream is a fancy name for sweetened whipped cream. If you’ve never made homemade whipped cream, buckle up because it is delicious and will ruin you for pre-made whipped toppings forever. I sweeten my heavy cream with powdered sugar rather than granulated sugar because powdered sugar is fine enough to dissolve quickly without making the whipped cream grainy. As an added bonus, it helps stabilize the whipped cream thanks to the starch that’s added to the sugar (typically cornstarch).

Never forget to season your whipped cream! It makes all the difference. I use a bit of kosher salt and vanilla bean paste. Vanilla extract works just as well with just a bit less of a vanilla-forward taste and no vanilla bean speckles.

Whip the cream in a glass or metal bowl on medium-high speed (or with a wire whisk) until you reach stiff peaks, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl every once in a while. *A pro tip is to chill the bowl and whisk/beaters before whipping, but I have never done that, nor am I willing to, honestly.

Store in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble, but don’t make this too far in advance. A few hours is fine, but it’s quick enough to whip up right before assembling.

assemble the mini pavlovas

Once everything is ready, chilled, and the pavlovas thoroughly dried out, it’s time to assemble. Gather the compote, chantilly, pavlovas, a spoon, a piping bag (optional), and a 6B piping tip (optional; you could also choose a different tip, like a 1M if you’d like). If you don’t want to pipe the whipped cream, just spoon it on top of the pavlovas.

I piped my whipped cream in a bit of a flower pattern, piping shells on the outer edge. Using a spoon, I created a divot in the center of the flower to hold my blackberry compote.

Pour a large spoonful of blackberry compote in the center of the whipped cream flower.

success tips for making mini pavlovas with vanilla bean chantilly & blackberry compote

• Don’t be too slow about adding your sugar. It is best to add it slowly, however, if you go too slow, then the sugar will not be fully added by the time the meringue is thick and fluffy. This will cause the meringue to be grainy since the sugar hasn’t had time to fully dissolve. Best to add it a tablespoon at a time every 30-60 seconds once the meringue starts to get foamy and less liquidy.
• Serve the pavlovas right away after assembling them. However, this is a great make ahead dessert. Make all of the individual parts and store them individually- the pavlova meringues in an airtight container, the chantilly in the fridge (although this is sometimes best, and easy, to make right before serving), and the blackberry compote in the fridge.
• If you have a Costco membership, don’t forget to check there for blackberries. I was able to purchase 12 oz. packages for $3.99 each.
• This is the perfect recipe to make when you have leftover egg whites from a dessert that used only or primarily egg yolks, such as a curd or custard (like my lemon bar cookies). If you do not have leftover whites, after making this, you will have leftover yolks. Try making pastry cream, pudding, curd, or lemon bar cookies.

FAQs

• Do I need a stand mixer to make mini pavlovas? No, you don’t need a stand mixer, but it does make making meringue much easier. You can make them with a hand mixer, but I don’t recommend mixing meringue with a wire whisk.
• Why is my egg white mixture not whipping up? Whipping egg whites is not hard, but there are a few things than cause trouble.
  • 1) Do NOT let any bits of egg yolk get in the egg whites. It will cause them to not whip up. It’s best practice to crack the egg white in a little dish and transfer it to the main mixing bowl rather than cracking the eggs directly into the main mixing bowl. This way, if a little egg yolk sneaks in, you can simply save that egg for breakfast and try again.
  • 2) Wipe your mixing bowl, whisk, and spatula down with an acid like lemon juice or white vinegar. This cleans the bowl from any lingering fat that could prevent the egg whites from whipping up. (I don’t typically do this.)
  • 3) If the humidity in your house is extremely high, like 75% or even higher, it can greatly hinder the egg whites from whipping up. One summer, I was trying to make macarons, and my kitchen was 85% humidity and the meringue just would. not. whip. up. Use a dehumidifier while you whip the meringue if your kitchen gets incredibly humid. (It’s really helpful to have a hygrometer in your kitchen, especially during the summer or if you’re in a humid climate.)
• Can I use a different berry? While I have not tried it, raspberries would be an amazing swap. Blueberries and strawberries would also be great. When swapping berries, keep the sweetness in mind. If the berries you use are more tart, then you may need more sugar (I’m looking at you, raspberries).

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