Pavlova Toppings: Twelve Ideas Beyond Strawberries

Pavlova is the great Australian Christmas dessert: a crisp meringue shell, a soft marshmallow centre, a pile of cream and whatever fruit is best in December. The base is the same every year. The topping is where you can have some fun.

The rules of a good topping

• Something sharp to cut through the sweetness: passionfruit, berries, citrus or pomegranate.
• Something soft: the cream, sometimes lightened with yoghurt or mascarpone.
• Something with crunch: nuts, crushed honeycomb or chocolate shards.
• Top it at the last minute. Cream and fruit juice soften meringue within half an hour.

The classics

1. Strawberries and passionfruit. The original for a reason. Halved strawberries and the pulp of three or four passionfruit.

2. Mixed berries. Raspberries, blueberries and blackberries with a dusting of icing sugar.

3. Mango and passionfruit. The most Australian of all, at its best in December.

4. Peach and raspberry. See our peach and raspberry pavlova with jam-rippled cream.

Pavlova toppings with a twist

5. Raspberry and pomegranate. Ripple a few spoonfuls of Ottolenghi Raspberry and Pomegranate Preserve through the cream, then scatter with fresh raspberries and pomegranate seeds. Deep red and very festive.

6. Apricot and passionfruit. Ottolenghi Apricot and Passionfruit Preserve rippled through the cream, with fresh apricots on top.

7. Lemon curd and blueberries. Fold lemon curd through the cream for a tart, pale yellow swirl.

8. Cherries and dark chocolate. Pitted cherries with shards of dark chocolate. Black Forest in pavlova form.

9. Pomegranate drizzle. A thin drizzle of pomegranate molasses over berries adds a sweet-sour edge. Use a little; it is strong.

10. Orange blossom and pistachio. A few drops of orange blossom water in the cream, strawberries, chopped pistachios and edible rose petals.

11. Honeycomb crunch. Break honeycomb chocolate thins over the cream just before serving.

12. Chocolate raspberries. Scatter milk and white chocolate raspberries over fresh berries for a treat the children will love.

Pavlova tips

• Make the base the day before and leave it to cool completely in the turned-off oven with the door ajar. This stops it cracking.
• Keep it dry. Store the base in an airtight container at room temperature, not the fridge, where it goes sticky.
• Whip the cream to soft peaks, not stiff, and sweeten it lightly. The meringue is already very sweet.
• A crack is not a disaster. The cream and fruit will cover it.
• Short on time? Break the meringue into pieces and layer with cream and fruit in glasses for an Eton mess.

Leftover pavlova

Pavlova does not keep well once topped. Leftovers become an Eton mess the next day: break it up, stir through more cream and fruit, and serve in glasses.

Pavlova is naturally gluten free if your cornflour is. See our gluten-free Christmas treats, our easy Christmas desserts, the Christmas trifle guide, and the full Christmas range.