This is the very best and easiest dessert for Christmas
Cooking for Christmas is a lot of fun, but do you have the time to spend hours in the kitchen for a five-layer cake? You're already busy making a beautiful appetizer and a spectacular main course that your guests will talk about all evening. Oh, and I haven't even mentioned all the other things you need to do: grocery shopping, making festive coffees, preparing drinks (preferably cocktails), and of course various snacks. Because yes, you don't just kick those people out of your house after dinner – at Christmas, you want to enjoy drinks together all evening. So yes: your Christmas agenda is overflowing and you can't really use a big dessert, but you also don't want to pull out that Vienetta ice cream cake again. Do you want a beautiful dessert without much effort? Then this pavlova Christmas wreath cake is for you.
And no: it's really not difficult, trust me. And it's so beautiful that people will think you've been busy all day. You can brag a little.
Ingredients
For the meringue
- 8 egg whites
- 400 grams of fine granulated sugar (very important: fine sugar)
For the cream
- 500 ml of heavy cream
- 250 grams mascarpone
- 120 grams of sugar
And fruit for the topping
Step 1: make the meringue
Before you start, make sure your bowl and whisk are very clean. If they are greasy or dirty, it can prevent your egg whites from whipping properly. You don't want that, do you? All that effort for egg whites that won't turn into meringue? Exactly. After cleaning, separate the 8 eggs into separate bowls. Make sure there is no yolk in them, otherwise it won't work either. Whip the egg whites in a bowl with your mixer (or food processor) until you see airy ‘peaks’ in the mixture. Add the sugar spoon by spoon while continuing to whip. This way, you distribute it well. Keep whipping for another 5 to 6 minutes until you have a shiny and firm mixture. Are there still lumps of sugar in it? Then you need to whip a little longer. Want to be sure it's good? You can always do the ‘meringue test’. This is when you hold the bowl upside down. It's a tricky joke, but if it stays in place, then it's good. Is your whole kitchen covered in egg whites? ...Then you should have whipped longer. Sorry. Another lesson learned for next time. I hope you have an extra box of eggs.
@houseandgardenuk A great way to test your meringue? Put it on your head, says Scottish chef Jeremy Lee! #homesoftiktok #dessert 1TP5easyrecipe #meringuerecipe #christmasfoodideas #christmasparty @House & Garden
Step 2: pipe into the shape of a wreath
Take the baking sheet out of your oven and preheat it to 120 degrees. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper and start piping your meringue on it. You do this with a long, ribbed piping tip, so you get the perfect wreath shape. Make a small back-and-forth motion each time, this way you scoop the meringue like a kind of ‘shells’ over each other. Do this in three layers until you have the desired height. Is it good? Then it can go in the oven for 90 minutes.
Step 3: the cream
Yes, a cake is not complete without filling, right? So we are going to make a cream when the pavlova has cooled down. Put the heavy cream, mascarpone, and sugar in a bowl. Whip it until you have a light, firm cream and then you can start decorating. Just make sure to wait until the pavlova is completely cooled, otherwise, it can break apart.
Step 4: decorating
This is a ‘do whatever you want’ situation, but it's most fun to follow the same pattern as the pavlova. This way, your cake looks even bigger than it is. And it's super aesthetically pleasing, of course. To finish it off, you can beautifully insert different types of fruit. Think of raspberries and strawberries, or go all out for the Christmas vibes with cranberries and blueberries. Stick in some mistletoe – really, go as crazy as you want. Find the prettiest plate or platter you have and place the cake on it, because this? You want to show off. Sprinkle some powdered sugar on top for the snow effect and then you have a cake that you can be proud of without too much effort.
@giorgiaskitchen Christmas Wreath Meringue (Pavlova) ✨ My favorite Christmas dessert, check out the full recipe on my Instagram! 🤍 #christmas #christmasrecipe #pavlova #baking #fyp
