Pavlova With Strawberries And Elderflower Whipped Cream
Normally I don’t post 2 days in a row, but today is the summer soltice which happens to also fall on the same day as the full moon, the strawberry moon, a once in a lifetime occurrence the last time this happened was in 1948, so to celebrate I made Pavlova, an ethereal, light and beautiful dessert, I used strawberries in honor of the strawberry moon and they happen to be at their peak now. I’ve never made one before, I’ve seen them all over blogs and food websites and it’s been on my bucket list for a while now. After making the rhubarb cordial I have been thinking of different ways to use it besides in drinks. This dessert came to mind, pavlova with strawberries that are macerated in the rhubarb cordial piled onto the meringue layer and topped with whipped cream that is gently flavored with elderflower. I found so many recipes online for the meringue and believe it or not they all varied in cooking temp, ranging from 180 degrees up to 300. I opted for 225 degree’s.
It is a dreamy dessert, beautiful to look at, I love the way the layers are each a little different making it just a little off, slightly cracked, perfect in it’s imperfection. It is elegant and delicious. If I sound smitten it’s because I am. Strawberry and rhubarb are a great combination and although this contains only a rhubarb liquor the flavor though subtle is still there. This is a decidedly adult dessert, and if you don’t happen to have any of the rhubarb cordial, macerating the strawberries in sugar is delicious and will be family friendly or you do not have to macerate the berries, slicing and layering on the cake is perfectly fine. The lovely syrup that the strawberries were sitting in is then drizzled over the finished cake when served. The recipe was delicious as it was but next time I would make a few minor changes.
Pavlova
4 extra large egg whites at room temperature (I used large eggs)
pinch of kosher salt
1 cup sugar (Next time I will use 3/4 cup sugar)
2 tsp corn starch (I would increase the cornstarch to 3 tsp)
1 tsp white wine vinegar or cream of tartar
1 tsp vanilla
Slice some strawberries and sprinkle with sugar, I poured a scant 1/2 cup of rhubarb cordial on them and macerated for an hour or two. Remove strawberries, drain in sieve over a bowl and set aside, save the rhubarb syrup it’s wonderful drizzled on the pavlova.
Pre heat the oven to 225 degree’s or the lowest setting on your oven. Prepare a sheet pan by lining with parchment and draw circles 8 inch round on the parchment and turn over so the pencil or pen is not touching the batter, or do as I did and use three 8 inch parchment rounds (had to use a half and quarter sheet pan) I wanted 3 thinner layers rather than one thick layer.
Put the egg whites in your stand mixer with the whisk attachment, add the pinch of salt and whip until they are thick and foamy, slowly add the sugar about a tbs at a time and beat them until they are glossy and stiff (about 2-3 minutes). Fold the corn starch and vanilla into the egg whites. Spoon onto the parchment rounds and smooth. Bake for 1 1/2 hours turn off the oven and leave in the oven until completely cooled. I liked using the parchment rounds because it was very easy to peel them off the meringue rounds.
To Assemble
Whip the cream, add the sugar and vanilla and if you have a tsp of elderflower syrup. I used 1 cup of heavy cream, a generous tbs of sugar and 1 tsp vanilla.
Place a meringue round on serving plate or cake stand. Spoon some of the strawberries on and top and some whipped cream. Place the other meringue round on top, repeat and top with last meringue, spoon some of the whipped cream on top and decorate with berries.
apuginthekitchen 
Beautiful! Thanks for telling us about the solstice and strawberry moon on the say day–I did not realize that! Your dessert looks divine. I have made lavender whipped cream, but not elderflower–I’m sure it is delicately flavored, and the strawberry rhubarb combination is pure summer.
Jenny, thank you so much. Yes today is a very powerful day because not only is it the summer solstice but the strawberry moon (full) occurs as well. I love using lavender in desserts it’s such a lovely flowery flavor and the smell of lavender is diving. Thank you so much.
Wow. Way to celebrate a strawberry moon! I love that kind of thing. Man, you did exceedingly well on multiple levels here. First, you nailed dessert. Then you gave us an education on orbital history. Your photographs harbored a very pleasurable look to them. And to tie it all together, you wrote the piece really well, I thought. Just a great, all-around blog post! Thanks for going two days in a row. I think it was worth it!
Cheers,
PotP
Wow, thank you so much. A very wonderful compliment coming from you whose writing I really admire. Thank you again.
I can see while you are smitten with this dessert, I would be too. How appropriate for the summer solstice and the strawberry moon. Have a wonderful week.
Thanks so much Gerlinde, it’s such a lovely summer dessert. Makes a great presentation as well. Happy Summer Solstice.
Wow! This is a work of art! Delicious and incredibly beautiful.
Thank you so much Michelle. I had fun making it.
Thanks for the update and the wonderful recipe. Pavlova is one of my favorites and yours look amazing! 🙂
Thank you so much Ronit, I love how light it is.
Suzanne, this is a full moon treat. I wasn’t familiar with a Pavolva. It looks delicious, and your photo settings are particularly elegant. Such old world charm in these pictures. Forgive me if I’m as focused on your photos as the food. It looks so good that I really hate my egg allergy, but you’ve given me beautiful photos too. Strawberry hugs!
Those pesky eggs, I thank you so much for saying the photo’s are good, you are too kind. Strawberry hugs to you too!!
That is a real ‘wow’ pavlova. I agree that the combination of rhubarb/strawberry is so perfect. This sounds absolutely mouth-watering. Great photos too. 🙂
Thank you so much, I love strawberry and rhubarb,a fresh strawberry rhubarb pie is such a treat.
looks extremely yummy! 😀
Thank you so much.
Just gorgeous! I have a list of your creations I must try when I am back (August). Xoxo to you and Percy
As I walked by 430 the other day I was thinking about you and wondering when you would be back. Can’t wait to see you, thank you so much. I am excited for you to meet Percy.
Beautiful and sounds yummy!
Thank you so much Debra!!
One of the most delicious and beautiful – light- treat ! Félcitations, Suzanne – vraiment – quelle beauté ! amitiés – france
C’est une dessert tres simplé, festif et délicieux. Merci France. I hope you don’t mind my terrible command of French, but I have fun trying and it is helping me practice.
This really is beautiful, Suzanne! You always do neat things with elderflower, and I love the fleurs on top. 🙂 It’s hot as heck here today- in NY? Hope you and P are staying cool. 🙂
Thanks Em, it’s hot today tomorrow hotter and we are enjoying the AC, stay cool☃☃☃
Reblogged this on ravenhawks' magazine and commented:
It is beautiful and looks more like a work of art than food. I love any food with strawberries. Bring the cordial to the fire pit this evening.:)
I love strawberry moon! How magical does it sound? I’m loving the idea of this elderflower cream, sounds delicious 🙂
I also love it the moon actually is red. So cool!! Thank you😃
It looks so pretty! And I think we may have virtually matching servers 😀😀😀
Thanks so much Elaine, 😃😃😃😃❤️💕
😘😘
It is so pretty! I love pavlova and it is so versatile. I love your take on it.
Thanks so much, I love pavlova as well and was so excited to make one. It’s really easy to make and a good summer dessert because the oven is kept at such a low temp.
That does help. I love baking but it can be a competition with the A/C.
This looks amazing, and “dreamy” is just the perfect word. PS- the antique silver just puts the whole vignette over the top (or moon!). Happy Summer Solstice!
Thank you so much. Yes, broke out the vintage silver for the photo, I thought it looks elegant like the pavlova.
This is so gorgeous, Suzanne! It is on my bucket list to make one of these also. What a fun idea to incorporate your cordial into the strawberries. Today is our middle son’s birthday. I will have to tell him about the strawberry moon when he comes over tonight for dinner. It is perfect since he has red hair! Thank you for sharing your beautiful dessert!
Does your son have a telescope? I wish I did so I could get a really good glimpse. Plan on using my fire pit and sit outside with a drink and a fire and the strawberry moon. Thank you so much.
Looks very light and fluffy Suzanne. Today was a scorcher in Michigan, a slice of this would be very refreshing. I’ll take two please 😉
This looks like a dream! Your garnish is so elegant I love it. I haven’t made pavlova before either, but this is now on my list!
Thank you so much Mary Frances it’s so elegant and delicious.
I love pavlova! I rarely make it or have it, but when I do, I wonder why I don’t have it more often. Thanks for the recipe!
This was my first time making one they are so good!!!
I mean I REALLY love this Post-Suzanne!!! Woo-Hoo.xoxoxoxoxo
Oh thank you so much hope you are having a great time❤️
Yes, all is well-I miss HOME!!! Miss U too. Hugs to U and Mr. “Percy”…xxoo
Good to hear I’m sure you do but what a great adventure.
This is true Suzanne! xoxoxo
My dog didn’t sleep all night, now I wonder if it has to do with a strawberry moon😉 Dessert looks gorgeous!!!
Oh my gosh Suzanne, I LOVE this! The best part is the attractive “messy” look as that is the only way I can ever get my cakes/desserts to look, LOL! I usually don’t sleep very good on full moon nights but I slept like a rock last night. We’ll see how tonight goes. 🙂
I love the wonky messy look of this nothing I make is ever perfect and this one is meant to be messy my kind of dessert. I can’t wait to get outside tonight when the moon is visible it’s exciting. It may have rondo with your astrological chart why you can’t sleep during the full moon. Thank you so much❤️❤️❤️
I was up late enough last night to see it. I’m not sure which night is the official night but I know both nights it’s almost negligible how full it looks from one day to the next.
I think it’s tonight and I am prepared to see it hopefully the thunderstorm won’t happen.
This is one gorgeous dessert Suzanne! Oh my
Thanks so much Lynn.
This is so beautiful! Thanks for sharing it with us!
This looks so sophisticated Suzanne– and so so pretty! Who were the lucky people who got to share it with you?? It would be a perfect birthday dessert for my mom– really beautiful. —and my sister-in-law was telling us about the strawberry moon last night when we were outdoors at a Fathers Day bar-b-que. Thanks for your info.!! take care blog-buddy!!
Thanks so much Rhonda, I shared it with my neighbors. It really is such a great summer dessert as light as a feather and the strawberries are just a perfect seasonal addtiion. Thanks again.
lucky neighbors!!
I have never eaten a pavlova but meringues yes… This looks so dainty and beautiful Suzanne! ❤️
Thanks Sonal. I also have eaten meringues and love them. I had fun with this dessert.
This is the perfect summer treat and so elegant Suzanne! 🙂
Thank you so much Linda.
Success on the first try! Do you prefer the meringue crunchy or a little chewy?
I prefer it crunchy, this meringue was more chewy than crunchy, although when it first came together the outside was crunchy with a chewy insie. Maybe because the oven temp was so low. I probably would take the oven temp up a bit next time. What temperature do you use when you make meringue?
Between 250 and 300, for 40-45 minutes.
It is also a matter of freshness: depending on humidity, it may either become more crunchy or softer (more chewy) after a few days.
See now you confirmed, my gut instinct told me that the oven should be hotter. Next time I will bake at a higher temp. It was very humid that day so thats part of the reason they did not stay crisp. Thanks Stefan.
Love a good pav, crunchy on the outside and chewy in the middle. Very pretty pictures and the strawberry moon sounds very romantic.
Well that is exactly how this was crunchy outside and chewy inside, although with the juicy strawberries and whipped cream the crunchy didn’t last too long. Thanks so much Lisa.
Yummy!!!! Will pin
Thank you😃😃😃
This lovely wonderful,pavlova looks like a master centerpiece. Waw!
Now, I need to,make it. It looks Amazing! Yummmmmm! Beautifully presented too! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
This is gorgeous!! I would never have thought of putting elderflower in cream – amazing. Thanks for the ideas! 🙂
Thank you, it’s very subtle only a tsp it added a very nice floral note and was delicious with the strawberries 😃
Reblogged this on Another Kind Of Grass.
This is beautiful Suzanne! Looks really good!
Thank you so much!!
This is been on my to do list as well..Your’s looks really pretty, Suzanne 🙂
Freda, thank you so much.
Yummmmmmm, that’s about all I can say about that 🙂
A fabulous recipe, Suzanne, and perfect for the night of a strawberry moon. I adore both strawberries and rhubarb, but I’ve never tried them together. And your pavlova looks just dreamy. Our strawberry season is just starting and we have rhubarb in the garden, so I think I may well be trying this out very soon.
Thank you Millie, it is a lovely light and creamy dessert. Perfect for the solstice and strawberry moon.
Wowza!! Looks divine!!
Thanks so much Susan.
Stunning dessert Suzanne!! Looks delicious and I’m sure it tasted delicious as well! By the way, you mentioned you would make some changes…what would you do different? 🙂
Hi Linda, I would add less sugar by 1/4 cup, an additional tsp of cornstarch and bake at 200 degree’s. Not a major change but I found the meringue a bit too sweet for my taste still good but a little less sugar would do well. Thank you so much.
Good to know. Thanks Suzanne! 😀
Elderflower whipped cream sounds amazing!
Thank you so much Emma!
Wish I had been here for your solstice party 🙂 Your dessert looks divine and what a great idea to celebrate summer’s start. Bookmarking this for sure.
Thanks so much Liz, it was a party of one but I did share the Pavlova with my neighbors. Happy Summer!!
Stunning
Thank you so much Dimple!!
Hope you’re well x
Thank you I am hope all is well for you also.
Yum! A pretty desert to celebrate a rare event. I love the long June days of summer when it’s light here until ten or just before. I see from your reply to a comment that you shared the Pavlova with your neighbours -lucky them.
Thank you so much, yes the days are longer and after the solstice the days start getting shorter, seems strange to me because the change in the amount of time is so minute. Yes, I gave my neighbors some of the Pavlova and hope they liked it.
Pavlova is such a lovely Summer dessert.and so easy to make. Your pavlova looks gorgeous, almost too good to eat but if I was there and had a spoon I would be ruining the presentation by digging in!
Thank you so much, it is very light and summery especially with the berries.
I had no idea about the strawberry moon….how interesting! What a perfect dessert to celebrate. It is so beautiful and delicious looking. I think I may dream of it tonight 😀
Thank you so much Antonia yes it was a very interesting day and worthy of celebration.
Oh Suzanne, I love Pavlova, and it is one of my most favorite desserts. Yours looks beautiful! You are right, there are so many different recipes and methods for it. After having the best Pavlova dessert in New Zealand, I was determined to make one just like what I had. Studied many recipes and was successful in posting one a few years ago. I made it a few times after but haven’t for a while. This post of yours inspired me to make it again. With ripe and delicious summer fruits, it is perfect timing. Yum!!! 😀
I am going to go and look at how you made it, your recipe. Interested to see after your research what recipe you chose that is closest to the one in New Zealand. Thank you so much Fae.
This is gorgeous!!! I have a family dinner coming up and would love to make this…
Why thank you so much. I hope ou enjoy if you make.
Oh, boy, oh, boy, oh, boy! To me, this speaks romance. Mm, this recipe is so beautiful, and I know, tasty! What a perfect time to present it.
It does doesn’t Mary, so romantic can see one of your lovely lady characters whipping one up for her love. Thank you so much.
I can too. Hmm…
A delicious and beautiful way to celebrate the strawberry moon, Suzanne! 😀
Thank you an ethereal dessert for a celestial celebration💕💕❤️❤️
Suzanne, this is gorgeous! The pavlova layers and cream are so pillowy and beautiful…and using rhubarb cordial with the strawberries is a stroke of genius! I hadn’t heard of the strawberry moon before this. How special, and an absolutely perfect way to celebrate. I’ll also have to try the combination of strawberry and elderflower–it sounds delicious and so summery.
Thank you so much, the elderflower added such a lovely flavor to the cream and went so well with the strawberries. It really is a nice light summer dessert.
This has got to be the fanciest pavlova I’ve ever seen! It’s absolutely stunning!!!
Thanks so much Mollie.
🙂
This looks so good Susan. I loved the pictures! I have never tried a pavlova. Although I planning to make one this season. I also have some whites left out from another dish.
Hi Devangi, thank you for stopping by. You are doing so much travelling and I enjoy your posts and photo’s. Thank you so much. I do love Pavlova, it’s so light and delicious and so good with the beautiful strawberries of the season. Thank you so much.
Pavlova with strawberries, delicious!
Thank you so much Chef.