CHRISTMAS TREE PAVLOVA
This Christmas Tree Pavlova with Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark expresses everything I love about this time of year—it’s fun, festive, and full of holiday spirit. The crispy meringue and velvety whipped cream is combined with Ghirardelli’s incomparable Peppermint Bark for a dessert that’s as indulgent as it is impressive. If you love going all out for the holidays, then this one’s for you. Merry Christmas!
CHRISTMAS TREE PAVLOVA
Pavlova
6 large egg whites (200g)
¾ tsp cream of tartar
1 ½ cup ultra fine baker's sugar (300g)
2 ½ tsp cornstarch
6-8 Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark Squares, finely chopped
Sugared Cranberries
½ cup fresh cranberries
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup water
1 tbs sparkling sugar, or more as needed
Whipped Cream
1 ½ cups heavy cream
1 tbs powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch kosher salt
Method
Heat oven to 275°F and arrange oven racks to the center and lowest positions of the oven. Line one large and one small baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a small bowl mix the sugar and cornstarch together until well combined. Set aside.
To a very clean, grease-free bowl of a standing mixer, add the egg whites and cream of tartar and beat on medium-low speed with the whisk attachment until soft peaks form.
Increase speed to medium, and begin adding the sugar mixture 1 tablespoon at a time in a circular motion so that all the sugar isn’t added to the same spot. Once all the sugar has been added, increase speed to medium-high and continue to whip the egg whites until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 5 minutes.
Fill a piping bag fitted with a 1M open star tip. Turn the large parchment sheet over and trace an 8” wide circle and a 6” wide circle next to one another using a pen or pencil with either a pastry mat or a household item (many dishes and bowls will work). Turn the smaller parchment sheet over and trace a 4” wide circle and a 3” wide circle the same way. Turn each parchment sheet over again and place back on their backing sheets.
To make the 8” wide and 6” wide rounds, start at the center of each circle and pipe a tightly-coiled spiral leaving a 1 ½” border for a decorative edge. Add another spiral on top, then use an offset spatula to smooth it out until each round is about 1 ½ inches tall. For the edge, make 1” wide by 2” long lines of piping that start from the outside and move to the center of each round. To make the 4” wide and 3” wide rounds, repeat all these steps but leave a 1” border around the 4” round and a ¾” border around the 3” round. The decorative edge lines of piping will be 1” wide by 1 ½” long for each of these.
Place both sheets in the oven, the large sheet on the center rack and the small sheet on the lowest rack, and immediately reduce the temperature to 200°F. Let bake in the oven for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Turn off the heat and let cool overnight in the oven.
Make the sugared cranberries at least two hours before serving the pavlova tree. Let the water and granulated sugar simmer until the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from heat and let cool to room temperature.
Add the cranberries to the sugar syrup, mix around a few times, and let sit for 10 minutes. Remove the cranberries with a slotted spoon and transfer to a large pan lined with parchment paper and arrange them in a single layer. Let the cranberries dry out for about 1 hour or until they feel sticky to the touch.
Transfer the cranberries to a bowl and sprinkle with sparkling sugar. Toss to coat, adding more sugar as needed. Transfer the cranberries to the lined pan and let dry fully, about 1 hour.
Make the whipped cream just before you assemble the pavlova tree. Add all ingredients to a large bowl and whisk until stiff peaks form.
To assemble, place the largest pavlova round on a plate or cake stand then top with a generous amount of whipped cream and your desired amount of chopped Ghirardelli peppermint bark. Repeat this process for the remaining three layers.
Once the top of the tree is garnished, place a few sugared cranberries around the tree. When ready to serve, top the tree with one final Ghirardelli peppermint bark square and enjoy!
Thank you to Ghirardelli for sponsoring this post!