This is a terrific dessert for wintry get-togethers, when cranberries are in season. The recipe serves eight, which makes it ideal for holidays and dinner parties. You can also do mini, single-serve pavlovas, which is a fun option for a buffet (see instructions below).

How to Make Pavlova

This seasonal spin on pavlova isn’t a big departure from the original, a dessert inspired by the diaphanous costumes of world-class ballerina Anna Pavlova. You begin by folding crushed gingersnap cookies into sweet meringue, which is simply whipped egg whites and sugar. While the meringue bakes, cook down cranberries with orange zest and just enough sugar to take it from bitter to appealingly tangy. Then, layer the dessert like a typical pavlova: meringue, whipped cream, and fruit. It’s a masterpiece of texture and quite pretty to look at, too. 

A Few Tips for Mastering the Homemade Pavlova

Pavlova isn’t particularly complicated to make, but it’s worth knowing a thing or two before you begin. 

Make It Your Way

Like any pavlova, you can tinker with the basic recipe to suit your mood. Here are a few suggestions:

Make a gluten-free version of the recipe by leaving the gingersnaps out or swapping in gluten-free cookies. Alternatively, add a few tablespoons of finely chopped crystallized ginger to the meringue base.Use frozen raspberries in place of the cranberries and scale the sugar down to three tablespoons. Make eight mini pavlovas instead of a single big one. To do so, spoon eight mounds of meringue onto the baking sheet and spread them to about three inches in diameter. Adjust the cooking time to about 35 to 40 minutesChop up a few additional gingersnaps to crumble over the top of the finished pavlova.

13 store-bought gingersnaps, like Nabisco

5 egg whites

1 teaspoon distilled white or white wine vinegar

Pinch salt

1 cup (200g) sugar

For the toppings

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries (no need to defrost)

Juice and zest of 1 orange

1/4 cup (50g) plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided

2/3 cup water

1 cup heavy cream

Pinch salt

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