Application guide
Aquafaba pavlova: how to make a 20 cm base
You need a pavlova base that stays crisp outside and soft in the centre. For one 20 cm base, use 150g of chilled VERY AQUAFABA, equivalent to 5 egg whites, with 150g of caster sugar. If you use powder, make up 10g with 150 ml of water first. The starch, acid, drying and cooling steps are what separate this base from a standard dried meringue. Updated: .
What do you need for one base?
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| VERY AQUAFABA | 150g |
| Caster sugar | 150g |
| Corn starch | 5g |
| White wine vinegar or lemon juice | 5g |
| Cream of tartar | 2g, optional |
| Citric acid | 1g instead of cream of tartar, optional |
For powder, use 10g of powder with 150 ml of water, then chill the prepared aquafaba. Scale the quantities with the calculator for more than one base.
How do you make the base?
- Chill the aquafaba to 4 °C.
- Whip it in a clean, grease-free bowl until you reach soft peaks.
- Add the optional cream of tartar or citric acid, then continue whipping.
- Add the caster sugar gradually until the meringue is glossy, stiff and dense.
- Fold in the corn starch and vinegar or lemon juice.
- Shape a 20 cm disc with slightly raised edges on a lined tray.
- Dry at 110 °C, fan off, for 1.5 to 2 hours.
- Switch the oven off and let the base cool inside with the door ajar.
- Add the cream and fruit just before service.
The process sheet puts each step beside its reference value, with a column for your own batch.
Are you baking the base ahead?
You can bake the base 1 day ahead. Keep it airtight with a desiccant pouch until assembly. Do not add the cream and fruit until service, because the moisture from the topping softens the shell.
How often do you make pavlova?
A 1L Tetrapak covers 6 bases. If you make pavlova often enough to finish the liquid within 3 to 4 days, weigh 150g directly from the chilled pack for each base.
If pavlova appears for occasional menus, banquets or weekend production, powder lets you prepare the aquafaba for the bases in that oven run and keep the remaining pouch dry and closed. Compare the powder pouches if you work from powder regularly.
What should you check when the pavlova goes wrong?
| What you see | Why | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Foam does not reach volume | Warm aquafaba or grease on equipment | Chill to 4 °C and use clean equipment |
| Shell cracks while cooling | Cooling was too fast | Cool in the switched-off oven with the door ajar |
| Centre is soft throughout | Base needs more drying | The full 1.5 to 2 hours at 110 °C |
| Centre dries completely | Starch and acid left out, or dried too far | Fold them in; pull the base while the centre still gives |
| Base softens after assembly | Topping went on too early | Add cream and fruit at service |
