Pavlova Without Whipped Cream

Asked by apesch. Answered on 20th February 2016

Full question

Hi Nigella team! I wanted to make a special cake for my nieces and nephew and I thought about a pavlova. The lemon one from Simply Nigella seems easy and delicious. One of my nieces refuses to eat anything that has whipped cream on. No lactose-intolerance is involved, just taste. So here's the question: can I get rid of the whipped cream? If yes, any suggestions for a substitution? Thanks a lot! Alessandro

Our answer

Pavlovas often have a layer of whipped cream on top of the meringue and, as the dish was named after the ballerina Anna Pavlova, some suggest that it is reminiscent of a ballerina's skirts. However some pavlovas are just served with fruits and you could maybe serve Nigella's Lemon Pavlova (from Simply Nigella) with the lemon curd spread over and some raspberries scattered on top. A jug of chilled cream could be served alongside for those who would like to pour some over.

You may also like to try using mascarpone as an alternative to whipped cream. If the mascarpone is too firm then stir in a splash or two of milk until it is soft enough to spread over the tender meringue.