The sweetness and crunch of this holiday cranberry and pomegranate pavlova combined with the thick and sweet mascarpone cream is made for an ideal festive dessert.
There’s something almost magical about the texture of baked meringue. The way it gets so crisp-yet-fragile on the outside, and a simple crack of the outer shell reveals the gooey, soft, and sweet center within.
This Holiday Cranberry and Pomegranate Pavlova came out really well, nice and light, sweet, creamy, fruity, crunchy, whipped, wet, dry…it was as if all of my favorite desserts aspects had been combined into one dish.
You can make the pavlova and berry cream the night before, so when it’s party time, all that’s left to do is folding together that luscious mascarpone cream filling and piling it on as your guests drool in admiration.
Speaking of that creamy filling, I think there’s only one thing better than whipped cream and berries… and that’s when you add mascarpone into the mix. Not only does this filling have a gorgeous marbled look, the tart berries plus the richness of the cream equals the perfect luxurious bite of holiday cranberry and pomegranate pavlova.
HOW TO MAKE HOLIDAY CRANBERRY AND POMEGRANATE PAVLOVA
In a stand mixer with whisk attachment, beat 6 egg white until foamy and gradually start adding the sugar. Whisk on high for 6 to 7 minutes. The mixture will be stiff and glossy.
Stop the mixer, add lemon juice and vanilla extract. Sift in the corn starch and continue whisking for another minute or until well blended.
Using a spatula transfer the meringue immediately onto a silicon mat or parchment paper and form a wreath.
Bake the pavlova at 250 F for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Then turn off the oven and with door closed, let it sit inside the oven overnight to cool completely. Remove pavlova from the oven, cover loosely with plastic wrap and let stand in a dry, room temperature place for up to 2 days or assemble and serve right away.
HOW TO MAKE SUGARED CRANBERRIES
Boil water together with 1/2 cup of sugar until sugar is dissolved, then let cool until just warm and pour the syrup into the bowl. Place cranberries into the bowl and stir to cover them fully with sugar syrup. Cover and freeze for 30 minutes or refrigerate overnight. Then drain and reserve the syrup for later use.
Place the remaining sugar into the dry bowl and dump drained cranberries onto the sugar. Shake the bowl until cranberries are covered with sugar on all sides. Let cranberries dry on a countertop for an hour, then cover and refrigerate until ready to assemble.
HOW TO MAKE MARBLED MASCARPONE CREAM
In a sauce pan combine 1/3 cup cranberries, 1/3 cup pomegranate arils, 1 tbsp sugar and 1/2 cup orange juice. Bring to a light boil, stirring frequently, for a few minutes until cranberries pop and the mixture thickens. Then pulse it with the immersion blender until smooth and strain the sauce through the fine mesh into the jar, discarding the seeds. Let the sauce cool completely.
In the bowl of a standing mixer using the whisk attachment, beat the whipping cream, mascarpone and vanilla extract until soft peaks form, about 2 – 3 minutes. Stir 1/2 cup of the cream into the cooled cranberry and pomegranate sauce, then carefully use a spatula to fold that mixture back into the bowl of the whipped cream.
Use a large spoon to dollop the marbled mascarpone cream onto the pavlova.
Garnish with sugared cranberries, fresh pomegranate arils and rosemary sprigs. Eat!
The crunchy outer layer of this holiday cranberry and pomegranate pavlova with melt-in-your-mouth marshmallowy meringue inside topped with heavenly marbled mascarpone cream is a pure festive paradise in your mouth! OBSESSED!
WANT MORE HOLIDAY DESSERTS? HERE ARE MY FAVORITES!
Raspberry and Almond Holiday Thumbprint Cookies
Pistachio Cranberry Snowflake Cookies
- Pavlova Ingredients:
- 6 egg whites, room temperature
- 1.5 cups granulated sugar
- 2 tsp corn starch
- 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract
- Sugared Cranberries:
- 1/3 cup cranberries
- 1/2 cup + 3 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- Marbled Mascarpone Cream:
- 1/3 cup cranberries
- 1/3 cup pomegranate arils
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 cup orange or apple juice
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- rosemary sprig and pomegranate arils to garnish
- Preheat the oven to 250 F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or silicon mat. I used a few plates (large and small) as a guide to draw a 10 inch circle, then a 4 inch circle inside it. Place the form underneath the silicon mat and use it as a guide for your pavlova size. Or simply draw right on the parchment paper and place it on the tray, pencil-side-down.
- In a stand mixer with whisk attachment, beat 6 egg white until foamy and gradually start adding the sugar. Whisk on high for 6 to 7 minutes. The mixture will be stiff and glossy.
- Stop the mixer, add lemon juice and vanilla extract. Sift in the corn starch and continue whisking for another minute or until well blended.
- Using a spatula transfer the meringue immediately onto a silicon mat or parchment paper and form a wreath according to the drawing.
- Bake the pavlova at 250 F for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Then turn off the oven and with door closed, let it sit inside the oven overnight to cool completely. Remove pavlova from the oven the next morning, cover loosely with plastic wrap and let stand in a dry, room temperature place for up to 2 days or assemble and serve right away.
- To make sugared cranberries, boil water together with 1/2 cup of sugar until sugar is dissolved, then let cool until just warm and pour the syrup into the bowl. Place cranberries into the bowl and stir to cover them fully with sugar syrup. Cover and freeze for 30 minutes or refrigerate overnight. Then drain and reserve the syrup for later use.
- Place the remaining sugar into the dry bowl and dump drained cranberries onto the sugar. Shake the bowl until cranberries are covered with sugar on all sides. Let cranberries dry on a counter for an hour, then cover and refrigerate until ready to assemble.
- To make the marbled mascarpone cream, in a sauce pan combine 1/3 cup cranberries, 1/3 cup pomegranate arils, 1 tbsp sugar and 1/2 cup orange juice. Bring to a light boil, stirring frequently, for a few minutes until cranberries pop and the mixture thickens. Then pulse it with the immersion blender until smooth and strain the sauce through the fine mesh into the jar, discarding the seeds. Let the sauce cool completely.
- In the bowl of a standing mixer using the whisk attachment, beat the whipping cream, mascarpone and vanilla extract until soft peaks form, about 2 – 3 minutes. Stir 1/2 cup of the cream into the cooled cranberry and pomegranate sauce, then carefully use a spatula to fold that mixture back into the bowl of the whipped cream.
- Use a large spoon to dollop the marbled mascarpone cream onto the pavlova. Garnish with sugared cranberries, fresh pomegranate arils and rosemary sprigs. Eat!
I wish my husband liked meringue. He does not, so there will be no pavlova in the future for me 🙁 but I miss безе so much!!!
As always – totally amazing photos!
Thanks Julia! What’s your husband’s favorite dessert?
Make it for yourself! You’re worth it!!!
Wow , what BEAUTIFUL photography! This is such a festive dessert, Lily! I still have a bag of cranberries I bought before Christmas… maybe I can make this dessert for New Year’s eve!
Sounds perfect! Thanks Angela!
Hi, I have a question! instead of cranberries, can i use other fruits like raspberries or redcurrants?
I already love this dessert! It’s such an amazing recipe!
Thank you, have a nice day!
Yes, of course! Hope you love it, Steliana!
Love this! You could use different fruit and do a Spring version too!
For sure! Hope you give it a try soon!
Gorgeous recipe and have been doing the various steps over past few days. Any tips for transferring the wreath without breaking it onto a plate please? Thanks!
Thanks Cat! It’s actually easy to handle. Simply peel off the parchment paper and transfer on a serving plate. Cheers, hope you love it!
What a stunningly beautiful recipe! I have been making pavlovas for nearly 30 years and this one tops them all! It was so exquisite that no one wanted to cut into it, but once they did, they couldn’t get enough! This is the recipe I will use from now on. Thank you for sharing it with us! Sadly there is no way to share a picture of my results.
Happy holidays!
Vicki
Thank you so much for the feedback Vicki! I am thrilled you liked my pavlova recipe! There should be a place for you to upload a picture right below the comment section. I would love to see your creation!
This recipe has become my holiday favorite. The presentation always wows the guests and it tastes great – perfect combination of sweet and tart, crunchy and fluffy. It’s also a yummy gluten free dessert. Thank you!
Thank you so much for sharing your feedback Natalya, I’m so pleased to hear you enjoyed this!
I mad this for my family Christmas Eve dinner and It was my first time making a pavlova so I was nervous if it would turn out to be a success or not but it totally was! Everyone loved it!
Love to hear it Sama! Thanks so much for your feedback!
Hi, how do you fill the meringue wreath? Do you slice it? I don’t seem to see where you mention that. Looks like a beautiful dessert!
Thank you,
Lisa
Hello, i wanna ask about oven settings? 250F but only bottom , bottom nad top, or maybe with fan ?
Thank you for this recipe! I did it for Christmas It was my first Pavlova and it was exactly like yours. I had so much congrats and requests to make it for birthday dinner. So I will but I wouldn’t like it to look like a Christmas dessert so my question is: Can I make it with raspberries and a twist of caramel or chocolate instead into the mascarpone cream? Would I have to change the juice quantity?
Hi Monique! I am so happy you loved my pavlova recipe! Yes, you can totally try experimenting with caramel or chocolate to taste.
Made this for Thanksgiving and everyone loved it! My three year old had two helpings. The sugared cranberries give the perfect pop of tart. Thanks for an amazing recipe will make again and again.
I made a trial run of the Pavlova which i plan on makeing again for Christmas eve and it turned out perfect! it was a little off white in color but other than that i was very satisfied.
Thank you for the receipe.
Help! I made the pavlova but it stayed more angel food cakey and never crisped up, What went wrong???
Thanks for the recipe; we all loved it. Visit my blog GardenCuizine.com for a picture of how mine turned out. I tried to upload the pic here, but my file was too large to be accepted. I love your food photography too!
Happy and Healthy Holidays!
http://gardencuizine.com/2019/12/christmas-pavlova-dessert-before-and.html
Diana, I’m glad I was able to click on your link, 5 years later, and see the beautiful pavlova you made. It looked fabulous — you did a great job!
Wow! This is absolutely stunning! I’ve never had any luck making meringue but I have to try this! Who care’s that its February LOL! 🙂
This looks so good! What a beautiful dessert to make for Christmas dinner!
Thanks for sharing! How far ahead of time can I make it?
Hi there 🎄 I wanted to ask how far in advance I can make the marbled cream ?
This looks amazing and I’m going to attempt making it. I was wondering about the timing for leaving it in the oven “overnight”. How many hours would this actually be? Thanks in advance!:)
I think this is the most beautiful dessert I have ever seen. Gorgeous. Looks delicious too, but seriously, so gorgeous! Brava!
I just tried making this and it just turned out liquidy. I followed the recipe exactly but the consistency just stayed liquid. I couldn’t get it to stiffen or form any sort of peaks. What could I have done wrong? I had the stand mixer on low-medium. Should I have turned it up on a higher setting?
It sounds like you had traces of yolk in your whites. If there’s even a speck of fat in them it will keep your whites from whipping.
Hi am not computer savvy so how do I copy this recipe to email to my old computer to print off, son in law hooked them together so my emails go from my iPad to the computer, hey, I’m 78, think I am doing fairly good with this electronic stuff😁😂
I noticed after you make the sugared cranberries, the recipe says to save the syrup. But I don’t see where you’re supposed to use the left over syrup later?
I feel like you could make the pavlova a few days in advance and it would hold up pretty well. 🤔
This pavlova is my favorite christmas dessert for many years now. I think it deserves all the comments, tags and attention. I will make it again this week. Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
I’ve been making this recipe for a few years now. It’s always requested and always a hit! It looks so fancy, but is so simple! I love this pavlova!