Description

This festive Pavlova Christmas Tree recipe is a stunning centerpiece dessert perfect for holiday celebrations. Delicate meringue rounds are baked to crisp perfection, layered with whipped cream, fresh strawberries, and raspberry coulis, then stacked on a skewer to form a beautiful Christmas tree shape. Garnished with berries, rosemary sprigs, and a star topper, this elegant dessert is both visually impressive and deliciously light, offering individual servings in the top layers and shareable portions at the base.

Ingredients

Meringue

2/3 cup egg whites (from 5 - 6 large eggs, at room temperature)
1 1/4 cups caster sugar (superfine white sugar)
2 1/2 tsp cornflour/cornstarch
1 1/4 tsp white vinegar

Raspberry Coulis

250g / 8oz frozen or fresh raspberries (no need to thaw)
2 tbsp caster sugar (superfine white sugar)

Whipped Cream

2 cups thickened/heavy cream
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp caster sugar (superfine white sugar)

Decoration & Assembly

28cm / 11" bamboo skewer – or 2 shorter skewers
10 medium strawberries, cut into 1.75cm / 3/4" rounds ("Strawberry Pillars")
12 strawberries, cut into 1cm dices (for scattering between layers)
Christmas tree star topper, edible or not, attached to a toothpick
125g / 4oz raspberries
16 small sprigs of rosemary
2 tbsp icing sugar / powdered sugar (for dusting)
More diced strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and any other fruit you fancy

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Instructions

Preparation: Preheat the oven to 150°C / 300°F (130°C fan). Arrange oven shelves in the center and lower positions. Trace various sized circles on two sheets of baking parchment paper for meringue shaping: Tray 1 with 15cm, 12cm, and 6.5cm rounds; Tray 2 with 10cm, 8.5cm, 5cm, and 4cm rounds. Flip the paper so the pen marks face down to avoid staining the meringue.
Make the Meringue: Place 2/3 cup egg whites in a stand mixer bowl and beat on high speed (Speed 8) for 1.5 minutes until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1 1/4 cups caster sugar, one tablespoon at a time, taking about 90 seconds. Continue to beat for an additional 6 minutes until the glossy mixture is thick and firm with no sugar grain residue. Sift 2 1/2 tsp cornflour over the meringue, add 1 1/4 tsp white vinegar, and beat for 30 more seconds. Test stiffness by flipping the bowl upside down; the meringue should not fall out.
Pipe the Pavlova Rounds: Fit a piping bag with a large 1.2cm (1/2") star tip and fill with meringue. Pipe tight coils within the drawn circles with a 1.2cm border on the larger rounds, skipping decorative edges on the smallest circles. Build two layers for a thickness of about 2cm. Smooth the surface and pipe decorative edges if desired. Repeat for all rounds; note that the pavlovas will expand slightly but not rise.
Bake the Pavlovas: Place Tray 1 on the middle shelf and Tray 2 on the lower shelf of the oven. Immediately reduce oven temperature to 120°C / 250°F (100°C fan) and bake for 1 hour. Check the bases of the larger meringues; they should be crisp and dry to touch and lift off baking paper without sagging. Turn oven off and leave the pavlovas inside to cool completely for at least 3 hours or preferably overnight, allowing them to dry thoroughly and become sturdy.
Make Raspberry Coulis: Prepare at least 2 hours ahead. Combine 250g raspberries and 2 tbsp caster sugar in a saucepan. Heat over medium, simmering for 5 minutes while mashing with a fork. Puree the mixture with a stick blender and strain if desired. Cool fully before use.
Whip Cream: Just before assembly, place 2 cups chilled heavy cream, 2 tsp vanilla extract, and 1 tbsp caster sugar in a large chilled bowl. Beat on high speed for about 5 minutes until it forms stiff peaks suitable for structural support. Refrigerate until assembly.
Assemble the Tree: Arrange all ingredients and tools close to the serving area. Place the largest pavlova round on a serving platter and spread a 1cm thick layer of whipped cream evenly to the edges. Position 4 strawberry pillars around the edge, gently pressing them slightly into the cream for stability. Scatter diced strawberries between the pillars, drizzle raspberry coulis generously near the edges, and cover with more cream to level the layer. Insert a bamboo skewer vertically into the center, pointy end up. Thread the next largest pavlova round on the skewer by gently spinning it to avoid breakage. Repeat layering with cream, strawberry pillars, diced strawberries, coulis, and cream for layers 3 through 7, using fewer pillars on smaller layers and ensuring the tree remains level using strawberries as adjustments. If the skewer is too short, connect a second to extend its length.
Top and Decorate: Place the smallest pavlova round at the top, add a dollop of cream and a small drizzle of coulis. Insert the star topper along with a raspberry and rosemary sprig. Decorate the entire tree with additional rosemary sprigs and distribute raspberries on the edges between layers, halving them if needed. Dust lightly with icing sugar and serve immediately.
Serving Suggestion: The top two layers serve single portions, the next two layers serve two people each, and the bottom four layers can be sliced traditionally to serve 8 to 10 people.

Notes

Use egg whites at room temperature for better volume and texture.
White vinegar helps stabilize the meringue.
Frozen raspberries can be used directly without thawing for coulis.
If a single skewer is not long enough for assembly, use two skewers joined together.
Beat egg whites to soft peak stage before gradually adding sugar for a stable meringue.
Alternative piping tips can be used but a large star tip provides ideal texture and shape.
The meringue layers expand slightly while baking but do not rise much.
Whip cream just before construction to maintain structure; pre-whipped cream deflates quickly.
Store pavlovas in an airtight container in a cool, dry place (not the fridge) until ready to assemble.
The longer the pavlovas dry in the oven after baking, the crunchier and sturdier they become.