Anna Louise Passion fruit pavlova is the dessert I serve when I want something that makes people genuinely stop and look before they eat it. The pavlova itself — crisp white meringue shell with billowy whipped cream — is already beautiful.
The passion fruit curd drizzled over the cream, vivid yellow-orange with its black seeds glistening, is what makes it spectacular. It looks tropical, dramatic, and deeply elegant.
The passion fruit is also the ideal pavlova topping from a flavour perspective. Pavlova and cream are sweet — intensely so. Passion fruit is sharp, slightly floral, and has a bright acidity that cuts through the sweetness and lifts the entire dessert.
The flavour contrast between the sweet meringue, the cool cream, and the tart passion fruit is one of the most perfectly balanced combinations in the dessert repertoire.
I make this for dinner parties at any time of year — passion fruit are available year-round — but particularly in the warmer months when a light, vivid, tropical dessert feels exactly right.
Ingredients for Mary Berry Passion Fruit Pavlova
For the Pavlova Meringue
- 5 large egg whites — at room temperature
- Pinch of fine salt
- 275g golden caster sugar — added one tablespoon at a time
- 2 tsp cornflour
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Passion Fruit Curd
- 8 passion fruits — halved, pulp and seeds scooped out (about 150ml pulp)
- 3 large eggs plus 2 egg yolks
- 150g golden caster sugar
- 100g unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- Juice of 1 lime
For the Cream
- 500ml double cream, cold
- 2 tbsp icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
To Finish
- 4 extra passion fruits — scooped and drizzled over the assembled pavlova
- A few physalis — their papery husks pulled back — optional but beautiful
- Edible flowers (optional)
- A light dusting of icing sugar
How to Make Mary Berry Passion Fruit Pavlova
Step 1 — Make the Meringue Base
Preheat your oven to 150°C / 130°C fan / Gas 2. Line a large baking tray with baking parchment. Draw a 28cm circle on the parchment as a guide — flip the paper so the pencil mark faces down.
In a large, completely clean, completely grease-free bowl — I wipe mine with a piece of kitchen paper dampened with a little white wine vinegar — whisk the egg whites with the salt on medium speed until they reach soft peaks. The peaks should hold gently when the whisk is lifted but still fall slightly.
Increase to high speed. Add the golden caster sugar one tablespoon at a time — whisking for 30 seconds between each addition. This is the step that takes patience and gives the right result. After all the sugar has been added, the meringue should be very thick, very glossy, and perfectly smooth when rubbed between two fingers — no graininess whatsoever. If it feels grainy, whisk for another two minutes.
Add the cornflour, white wine vinegar, and vanilla. Fold in gently with a large metal spoon — three to four folds only.
Step 2 — Shape and Bake
Spoon the meringue onto the lined tray within the circle. I build the sides slightly higher than the centre — creating a shallow well that will hold the cream and passion fruit curd beautifully. Smooth the sides with a palette knife.
Place in the oven. Immediately reduce the temperature to 120°C / 100°C fan / Gas ½. Bake for 1 hour 20 minutes until the outside is completely crisp and the meringue has a very slight champagne colour.
Turn the oven off. Leave the pavlova inside with the door very slightly ajar — I wedge a wooden spoon in the door — until completely cool. At least two hours. Overnight is ideal. This slow cooling is what prevents the pavlova from cracking dramatically.
Step 3 — Make the Passion Fruit Curd
Press the passion fruit pulp through a fine sieve — collecting the juice and discarding most of the seeds. Reserve a tablespoon of seeds for decoration. Add the lime juice to the strained passion fruit juice.
Place the eggs, egg yolks, and sugar in a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water. Whisk until the sugar has dissolved. Add the passion fruit and lime juice. Stir continuously with a wooden spoon over a gentle heat for twelve to fifteen minutes until the curd has thickened to a consistency that coats the back of the spoon and holds a clear line when a finger is drawn through it.
Remove from the heat. Add the cold cubed butter a few pieces at a time, stirring between each addition until melted and incorporated. The curd should be smooth, glossy, and deeply vivid yellow-orange.
Transfer to a clean jar or bowl. Press cling film directly onto the surface to prevent a skin. Refrigerate until completely cold — at least two hours.
Step 4 — Assemble
Transfer the completely cooled pavlova to a large serving plate — slide a palette knife carefully under the parchment to loosen.
Whip the cold double cream, icing sugar, and vanilla to soft, billowy peaks — the cream should hold its shape gently but still look cloud-like rather than stiff.
Spoon the whipped cream generously into the well of the pavlova, spreading it to the edges.
Drizzle two-thirds of the passion fruit curd over the cream surface in generous spoonfuls — it will pool slightly and flow between the cream in vivid orange rivers. Drizzle the pulp from the four extra passion fruits over the top — seeds and all — for additional colour and texture. Drizzle the remaining curd.
Add physalis and edible flowers if using. Dust very lightly with icing sugar at the edges.
Serve within one hour of assembly.
Top Tips For Best Mary Berry Passion Fruit Pavlova
Make the passion fruit curd the day before. The curd needs at least two hours of refrigeration to set properly and reach the right consistency for drizzling. Made the day before and refrigerated overnight, it is exactly the right thickness and can be drizzled over the cream without running off immediately.
Add sugar one tablespoon at a time — do not rush this step. The slow addition of sugar, with 30 seconds of whisking between each tablespoon, is what gives the meringue its extraordinary gloss and stability. Sugar added too quickly gives a meringue that is grainy, slightly unstable, and prone to weeping.
The passion fruit seeds are partly decoration and partly flavour. I strain most of them out for the curd — the curd should be smooth and flowing. But the seeds from the fresh passion fruits added at the end of assembly give texture, colour, and the visual signal that says unmistakably what this pavlova is. Do not omit them.
Build the sides of the meringue higher than the centre. The shallow well created by building the sides upward holds the cream and curd in place when assembled, preventing everything from sliding off the flat surface. It also gives the assembled pavlova a more defined, more elegant shape.
Assemble close to serving — no more than one hour ahead. The cream softens the meringue shell over time. More than an hour after assembly and the crispy-soft contrast that defines a great pavlova begins to be lost. Assemble close to the time of serving and serve it in its perfect window.
Serving Suggestions
As the centrepiece dessert at a dinner party — it looks genuinely spectacular on the table. At a summer celebration lunch. As a birthday pavlova for anyone who loves the tropical flavour of passion fruit.
How to Store Passion Fruit Pavlova
Unassembled meringue base: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Passion fruit curd: Store in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Assembled pavlova: Best eaten within 1 hour of assembly. The cream and curd soften the meringue over time.
Mary Berry Passion Fruit Pavlova Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 150°C / 130°C fan / Gas 2. Line tray — draw 28cm circle, flip paper. Whisk egg whites with salt to soft peaks. Increase speed — add sugar 1 tbsp at a time, 30 seconds between each, until very thick, very glossy, and smooth. Fold in cornflour, vinegar, and vanilla.
- Spoon onto tray within circle — build sides higher than centre. Reduce oven to 120°C / 100°C fan / Gas ½ immediately. Bake 1 hour 20 minutes until crisp outside. Turn oven off — door slightly ajar. Cool completely — 2 hours minimum, overnight ideal.
- Strain passion fruit pulp through a sieve — reserve 1 tbsp seeds. Add lime juice. Whisk eggs, yolks, and sugar in a bowl over barely simmering water until sugar dissolves. Add passion fruit juice — stir continuously 12–15 minutes until thick and coating. Remove from heat. Add cold butter gradually — stir until melted and smooth. Press cling film onto surface. Refrigerate 2 hours minimum.
- Whip cold cream, icing sugar, and vanilla to soft peaks. Spoon generously into the pavlova well.
- Drizzle two-thirds of passion fruit curd over cream. Drizzle fresh passion fruit pulp from 4 extra fruits. Drizzle remaining curd. Add physalis and flowers if using. Dust edges lightly with icing sugar. Serve within 1 hour.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use shop-bought lemon curd instead of making the passion fruit curd?
Yes — lemon curd gives a sharp, vivid result. But the passion fruit curd is what makes this pavlova specifically and memorably wonderful — it takes twenty minutes to make and keeps for two weeks. I would strongly encourage making it.
Can I add fresh mango alongside the passion fruit?
Yes — thinly sliced ripe mango arranged over the cream before the passion fruit curd is drizzled gives a beautiful tropical combination. Mango and passion fruit together on a pavlova is one of the finest things I know.
Why is my meringue weeping or sticky?
The sugar was added too quickly and did not fully dissolve into the egg whites. Rub a little meringue between your fingers — it should feel smooth. If it feels grainy, whisk for another two minutes before adding more sugar.
Can I make individual pavlovas instead?
Yes — spoon the meringue into eight individual nests on the lined tray. Bake at the same temperature for 45 minutes. Cool in the oven as directed. Top each nest with cream and passion fruit curd.
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