This elegant white chocolate pavlova with mixed berries, finished with a refreshing berry soup makes for a spectacular dessert. Swap your usual Pavlova recipe for this innovative version for your next get together.
Who doesn't like pavlova? Can't think of anyone right? We all love it one way or the other! But instead of the classic pavlova recipe, how about we take it to the next level by giving this humble pavlova a modern twist?
White chocolate mousse with crunchy chewy meringue drops and thin pavlova meringue shards, served with freshly mixed berries and a flavourful berry soup - doesn't that sound refreshing and mouth-wateringly delicious!!
With our step by step recipe you can easily make this creative dessert to impress your family and friends.
So, let's dive straight into it! The more you practice making this dessert the more confident you will be serving it for a special occasion, think Christmas or New Year's Eve!
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INGREDIENTS YOU NEED
To make this white chocolate pavlova recipe, you will need the following ingredients:
Mixed berries we used common berries available all year around like strawberries, blueberries and raspberries. Feel free to replace with other berries like blackberries, red currants or even cherries as an example.
Lemon for adding acidity to the berry soup. We will be using only the skin and a small amount of juice.
Mint leaves will be used for decoration whilst the stems will be used to add flavour to the berry soup.
White Chocolate a good quality white chocolate will make for the chocolate mousse. Preferably buy them in small buttons to make them melt easily.
Eggs whites are separated as we will be using only the whites to make the chocolate mousse. However, before you start making the mousse, remember to take the eggs out of the fridge. Leave them out for a bit as it will make it easy to work with them.
Vanilla we use a good quality vanilla essence but if want to use vanilla beans, then one fresh bean will be enough.
Cream use heavy cream or whipping cream. Whipped cream will be folded under the white chocolate mixture to make it light and fluffy.
Sugar we use caster sugar as it works best for making this dessert.
Star anis and sumac powder is for flavouring the berry soup. If you don't have star anis, it can be substituted with a small amount of fennel seeds or clove. As for sumac, this can be replaced with more lemon juice or lemon zest.
Meringue drops & shards - we have a detailed blog post on how to make beautiful meringue drops and meringue shards . These are easy to make and will make a batch big enough to last for several weeks (if stored correctly).
RECIPE FOR WHITE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
I have broken down the recipe for the white chocolate mousse into four steps. It sets pretty well in about two hours but if you prefer making it a day prior, you most certainly can.
Step 1
Use a hand blender or kitchen aid to mix the cream and vanilla essence until stiff peaks form. Set aside in the fridge.
Step 2
Combine the egg whites with sugar using the hand blender until stiff peaks form. Set aside in the fridge.
Step 3
Melt the white chocolate in a stainless steel bowl over a pot of lightly simmering water. Allow the melted chocolate to cool down for 5 minutes at room temperature.
Step 4
Add a small amount of whipped egg whites to the chocolate mousse and combine well. Add the remaining whites.
Now fold in the whipped cream carefully under the chocolate mixture. Place the mix in a deep insert and cover with cling film. Keep in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
MAKING THE BERRY SOUP
For those who are not familiar with berry soup, it is a summer delicacy in most European cuisines. It maybe served warm or cold depending on the recipe. Some add milk or cream, spices and even alcoholic beverages like sweet wine, white wine, brandy and champagne, for this dessert, we are using just ripe fresh berries.
If you do not have fresh berries, you can use frozen mixed berries instead!
To make the berry soup, use a wide pot and combine the mixed berries with lemon peel and juice, mint stems, star anis, sumac powder, vanilla essence, sugar and water.
Bring to boil and reduce the heat to a light simmer. Cook for 15 minutes and strain through a fine sieve.
To get a thick consistency of soup, press the pulp of the berries with a ladle through the sieve. Place the berry soup in the fridge to cool down, as the soup needs to be served chilled.
PREPARING THE MIXED BERRIES
Depending on size, cut the strawberries into quarters. In a bowl mix the strawberries, blueberries and raspberries.
As we are serving a berry soup packed with berry flavour along with the dessert, we don't add anything else to the mixed berries. We want them to stand out with their natural sweetness.
TO PLATE UP THE WHITE CHOCOLATE PAVLOVA
In a wide bowl, place the mixed berries in a circle leaving space in the middle. Use your thumb to push down the meringue drops breaking them lightly. Place three meringue drops in the centre per plate.
To make a quenelle shape with the white chocolate mousse, take a tablespoon and heat it under running hot water. Now, dry the spoon with a kitchen towel and make a large round quenelle shape from the white chocolate mousse. Place it on top of the meringue drops and decorate the mixed berries around it with a few mint leaves.
Sprinkle the meringue shards with sumac powder and place three shards per plate against the chocolate mousse (covering it).
Serve the berry soup on the side or pour it into the bowl at the table to give your guests a true restaurant style experience!
Alternatively, you can just pour the soup directly into bowls before serving. However make sure you don't pour the berry soup over the meringues. Either ways, Serve immediately, to avoid the meringue turning soggy.
MORE DESSERT RECIPES
If you have mastered this pavlova recipe but still prefer the classic version try this lemon & stone fruit pavlova from a fellow blogger. Or read on for more recipes, you will enjoy these desserts too.
A perfect make ahead lemon curd semifreddo with meringue, a great dessert to be shared
An exotic pina colada panna cotta with lime & pineapple decorated with toasted coconut
Make this Yuzu posset with crunchy white chocolate crumble, heavenly creamy
A classic pavlova is always popular at Christmas, but if you want yours to stand out this year, give this recipe a go! I bet you will get twice the Oooh's and Ahh's you usually get 😉
White Chocolate Pavlova with mixed berries
Equipment
- hand blender or kitchen aid
- stainless steel mixing bowls
- sieve
- small pot
Ingredients
for the white chocolate mousse
- 150 gram white chocolate
- 2 egg whites
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
- 125 milliliter heavy whipping cream
- 2 teaspoon caster sugar
for the berry soup
- 300 gram mixed berries fresh or frozen
- 1 lemon peel and juice from half a lemon
- 4 mint sprigs keep leaves for decoration
- 2 star anis
- ¼ teaspoon sumac powder
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla essence
- 2 tablespoon caster sugar
- 500 milliliter water
for plate up
- 90 gram raspberries
- 90 gram blueberries
- 250 gram strawberries
- 12 meringue drops
- 12 meringue shards
- ¼ teaspoon sumac powder
Instructions
for the white chocolate mousse
- Use a hand blender or kitchen aid to mix the cream and vanilla essence until stiff peaks form. Set aside in the fridge.
- Combine the egg whites with the sugar using a hand blender until stiff peaks for. Set aside in the fridge.
- Melt the white chocolate in a stainless steel bowl over a pot of lightly simmering water. Once the chocolate has melted set aside and let cool down for 5 minutes at room temperature.
- Add a small amount of whipped egg whites to the chocolate mousse and combine well. Add the remaining whites.
- Now fold the whipped cream carefully under the chocolate mixture. Place in a deep insert and cover with cling film. Let set in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
for the berry soup
- Depending on size cut the berries in halves or in quarters. Use a wide pot to combine the mixed berries, lemon peel and lemon juice, mint stems, star anis, sumac powder, vanilla essence, sugar and water.
- Bring to boil and reduce the heat to a light simmer. Cook for 15 minutes and strain through a fine sieve. In order to get a thick consistency soup, press the pulp of the berries with a ladle through the sieve when straining.
- Place the berry soup in the fridge to cool down, the soup should be served chilled.
for the garnish and plate up
- Cut the strawberries into quarters. In a bowl mix the strawberries, blueberries and raspberries.
- In a wide bowl place the mixed berries in a circle leaving space in the middle. Use your thumb to push down the meringue drops breaking them lightly. Place three meringue drops in the centre per plate.
- to make white chocolate mousse quenelle, use a tablespoon. Heat it under running hot water and dry with a kitchen towel. Now make a large round quenelle shape from the white chocolate mousse and place on top of the meringue drops.
- Decorate the mixed berries with a few mint leaves. Sprinkle the meringue shards with sumac powder and place three shards per plate against the chocolate mousse (covering it).
- Serve the berry soup on the side and pour into the bowl at the table. Alternatively you can pour the soup directly into the bowls before serving. Either ways serve immediately to avoid the meringue turning soggy.
Renu
Very ( berry ) delicious!
Shilpi & Etienne
Thanks Renu😉
Sylvie
Such a gorgeous and sophisticated dessert, I love how you presented it. It would be so perfect for a fancy dinner party!
Sarah
This looks amazing. Perfect for a dinner party or would make a fabulous end Christmas lunch, yum!