Gluten-Free Pavlova with Strawberries That is Perfect for Passover

Pavlova, named after the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, is a meringue dessert filled with cream and topped with fruit. It's the perfect gluten-free dessert for Passover, the Jewish holiday during which wheat, rye, oats, barley, corn, soy, rice, and beans are forbidden. These dietary restrictions are what make gluten-free treats like meringues and coconut macaroons so popular during the holiday.  

What this recipe lacks in gluten, it makes up for in sweetness. The simple mix of egg whites and sugar produces an incredibly tart taste. And while some recipes yield meringues with a hard, crispy edge and a soft interior, this bake creates a gooey consistency all the way through.  Regardless of why you're going gluten-free, this pavlova is a prime dessert for anyone who wants an aesthetic treat with little effort!

Gluten-Free Pavlova with Strawberries and Cream

• Prep Time:30 mins
• Cook Time:2 hrs 15 mins
• Total Time:2 hrs 45 mins
• Servings:1
• Easy

Ingredients

• MERINGUE:
• 5 free range eggs
• 1 cup caster sugar
• CREAM:
• 1.3 cup double cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp confectioner/icing sugar
• 2 cups halved strawberries

• Step 1

  Preheat the oven at 250°F. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment and mark a circle 25 cm in diameter, then flip the parchment over. Set aside.

  

• Step 2

  In one bowl, separate the whites from the yolks. Whip up the whites until they are stiff peaks. This will help to create the creamy, marshmallow-y substance of the meringue.

  

• Step 3

  Add 1 tablespoon at a time of sugar into the egg whites. At this stage, your meringue batter should be thick and smooth.

  

• Step 4

  Use a spoon to dollop a ring of your mixture just inside the circle outline on the parchment (avoid letting your batter touch the lead!) Add another layer on top of your meringue to get more height if you need it. Fill the center with slightly less meringue, so that after the bake, there's enough space to fill this crevice with cream and strawberries.

  

• Step 5

  Bake the meringue for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Once it's done baking, turn off the oven and leave your meringue inside for another hour.

  

• Step 6

  You should wait to prepare the cream until right before you're ready to serve, so that it stays as fresh as possible. Whip the cream until soft peaks form, then fold in the vanilla extract and confectioner sugar. Halve the strawberries.

  

• Step 7

  Spoon the cream into the center and sprinkle the strawberries on top.

  

• Step 8

  There will be plenty of extra fruit and cream to serve in bowls on the side. Enjoy!