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Mary Berry Pear Pavlova Recipe

Mary Berry Pear Pavlova Recipe

Mary Berry's pear pavlova has a crisp, billowy meringue base topped with whipped cream and caramelised pears — an elegant, autumnal alternative to the classic.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Cooling Time 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 8 Portions
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: British
Calories: 420
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • Pavlova Meringue:
  • 4 large egg whites room temperature
  • Pinch of fine salt
  • 225 g golden caster sugar — added 1 tbsp at a time
  • 2 tsp cornflour
  • 1 tsp white wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Caramelised Pear Topping:
  • 4 ripe but firm pears Conference or Comice, peeled, cored, and quartered or in sixths
  • 50 g unsalted butter
  • 75 g soft light brown sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • Cream:
  • 400 ml double cream cold
  • 2 tbsp icing sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • To Finish:
  • Reserved caramel from pear pan
  • 25 g toasted flaked almonds or chopped pistachios
  • Icing sugar for dusting

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 150°C / 130°C fan / Gas 2. Line baking tray with parchment — draw 25cm circle, flip paper.
  2. Whisk egg whites with salt to soft peaks. Increase speed — add sugar 1 tbsp at a time, 30 seconds between each, until thick, glossy, and smooth. Fold in cornflour, vinegar, and vanilla.
  3. Spoon onto tray within circle — build sides slightly higher than centre. Reduce oven to 120°C / 100°C fan / Gas ½ immediately. Bake 1 hour 15 minutes until outside is crisp. Turn oven off — leave door very slightly ajar. Cool completely — 2 hours minimum, overnight ideal.
  4. Melt butter and brown sugar in a wide pan — 2–3 minutes. Add pear pieces, vanilla, and cinnamon. Cook 8–10 minutes turning occasionally until deeply golden and tender. Add lemon juice. Cool to room temperature.
  5. Whip cold cream, icing sugar, and vanilla to soft peaks. Spoon over pavlova surface — spread to edges.
  6. Arrange caramelised pears over cream. Drizzle reserved caramel. Scatter nuts. Dust with icing sugar. Serve within 2 hours.

Notes

Add sugar one tablespoon at a time — essential for a stable, glossy meringue.
Cornflour and vinegar give the marshmallow centre — both are essential.
Cool in the oven with the door ajar — prevents cracking from sudden temperature change.
Caramelise pears properly — deeply golden and fragrant, not pale and barely softened.
Assemble no more than 2 hours before serving — cream softens the shell beyond that point.
Meringue base stores at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
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