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Pavlova with Blackberry, Lime, and Cardamom

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Crispy on the outside and marshmallow-soft on the inside, this blackberry, lime, and cardamom pavlova recipe is summer dessert at its most delicious.

overhead photograph of completed blackberry, lime, and cardamom pavlova

pinterest image for pavlova with blackberry, lime, and cardamom with text overlay

Because you know how I feel about cardamom!  Want it, need it, can’t get enough. 

I was first introduced to the blackberry, lime, and cardamom combo a few years ago when I came across this recipe on 101cookbooks. 

I was planning my Fourth of July dinner at the time and immediately added blackberry limeade to the menu.   We had some super-picky friends coming over and I was pretty sure they wouldn’t like it, it would be too “different,” and there’d be plenty for me.

But no.  As so often happens, I was busy with food prep and only got a teeny-tiny glass before everyone else gulped it down.  My fellow cooks out there can relate, right? 

I’ve never, ever forgotten how much the hint of cardamom made the blackberry and lime just pop.  So unexpected, so perfect.

When I started thinking about the gazillions of ways I could incorporate blackberries into a dessert this summer, I knew I needed to incorporate lime and cardamom too. 

It was necessary to make up for that wee little taste from years ago.

A pavlova is pretty much a blank (but delicious!) slate in terms of flavor.  It’s like a meringue with an almost gooey center and because it’s mostly just egg whites and sugar you can fill it with just about any type of fruit and it will taste good.

slice of blackberry, lime, and cardamom pavlova on a plate

If you don’t like cardamom (or if you’re baking for people who don’t like things that are “different”) just leave it out.  You could also use another type of fruit curd or another berry.  I’m thinking marionberries would be KILLER here, but I don’t know where to find them in AZ.

Think of egg whites as the diva of the kitchen.  They can be temperamental, but if you treat them properly you’ll end up with a show-stopping pavlova.  These are a few of my tips for working with them:

Separate your eggs when they’re cold but be sure your egg whites are at room temperature before you begin your pavlova—cold egg whites will not whip properly. 

Also, be sure you don’t get any yolk in your whites—or again, they will not whip properly.  To separate eggs perfectly every time the only tools I ever use are my hands.  I crack an egg into my palm, then wiggle my hand a little over a small bowl.  The egg white slides right off, leaving the yolk intact.

Use a glass or metal mixing bowl, not plastic, and be sure it’s free of grease or other residue.

Many people say to avoid making pavlovas when it’s humid, but I haven’t actually had trouble whipping my egg whites on humid days.  If it’s humid where you live and you’re craving a blackberry, lime, and cardamom pavlova, I say it’s worth a shot.

Enjoy!

slice of blackberry, lime, and cardamom pavlova on a plate with a fork taking a bite out of it

Crispy on the outside, soft and marshmallow-soft on the inside, this blackberry, lime, and cardamom pavlova recipe is summer dessert at its most delicious.
Print
Pavlova with Blackberry, Lime, and Cardamom
Prep Time
40 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Cooling time
1 hr
Total Time
2 hrs 40 mins
 

This blackberry, lime, and cardamom pavlova is a delicious summer dessert!

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Australian
Servings: 8
Author: Kelsie
Ingredients
Lime curd:
  • 3/4 cup whole milk
  • finely grated zest of 3 limes
  • 1/3 cup fresh lime juice*
  • 4 egg yolks use the whites in the pavlova
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter cubed
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
Pavlova:
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
  • 3 or 4 cardamom pods shelled and finely ground (optional)
  • 4 large egg whites at room temperature
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
Topping:
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • 1 recipe lime curd recipe above
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh blackberries
Instructions
Lime curd:
  1. Set a fine mesh sieve over a medium mixing bowl next to the stove.
  2. Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Set pan over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and reaches 175 to 180 degrees on a candy thermometer and coats the back of a wooden spoon. Do not let mixture boil.
  3. Pour mixture through the sieve into the mixing bowl. Allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least an hour before proceeding with the recipe. (Curd can be made up to three days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the fridge.)
Pavlova:
  1. Place an oven rack in the lower third of your oven, then preheat oven to 250 degrees. Draw a 9-inch circle on a piece of parchment paper (I traced around a 9-inch cake pan). Flip the paper over and place on a large baking sheet—you should be able to see the circle. If you can’t, retrace with a bolder pen.
  2. Combine the sugar and cornstarch in a small mixing bowl. Combine the vanilla, vinegar, and cardamom in another small mixing bowl.
  3. Place the egg whites and salt in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer set to low. Gradually increase the speed to medium. Whisk on medium until the whites hold soft peaks, about 1 to 2 minutes.
  4. Begin adding the sugar-cornstarch mixture a few tablespoons at a time, while increasing the mixer’s speed to high. Continue beating until the whites hold stiff peaks, several minutes more.
  5. Pour the vinegar, vanilla, and cardamom over the meringue, then beat for another 20 seconds to combine.
  6. Mound the meringue in the center of the circle on your prepared parchment. Use a rubber spatula to smooth it out to the edges of the circle, making an even round.
  7. Bake until the pavlova is firm to the touch, about 60 to 70 minutes. Avoid opening the oven during baking, except at the end to test for doneness. Cool completely on a wire rack before filling.
Topping:
  1. Just before serving, place the heavy cream and powdered sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat until it just holds stiff peaks. Fold about 1/4 cup of the whipped cream into half of lime curd, then spoon the mixture onto the pavlova. Pile the berries on top and top with a big dollop of whipped cream. Use the remaining whipped cream and lime curd to garnish individual slices. Serve and enjoy.
Recipe Notes

*Be sure to zest your limes before you juice them; juicing a zested lime is almost impossible.

Pavlova adapted from The Kitchn

Lime curd adapted from How to Bake Everything

Comments

  3. Thao @ In Good Flavor says

    I tried my first pavlova less than two years ago, and I loved it! I can’t believe it took so long for it to come into my life! It was love at first bite. This pavlova looks amazing, Kelsie!! The raspberry and lime is such a great pairing and the cardamon is an unexpected pleasant surprise. I’m dying to have a some!

    Reply

    • Kelsie says

      Thank you, Thao! I feel the same way! I made my first a few years ago and I don’t know why I waited! Happy Saturday, my dear!

      Reply

  7. Carlee says

    I adore a good pavlova and these flavors sound perfect! I do usually avoid whipping egg white in the summer if I can avoid it… we had 90% humidity here yesterday! (Luckily today it’s supposed to be a much more manageable 60%) But I could always crank up the air a bit to knock the moisture down. Or I suppose I could just go for it!

    Reply

  8. Lindsay | With Salt and Pepper says

    I love pavlovas Kelsie and have yet to make one with blackberries! You’ve inspired me now and to try this one out! I’m totally with you too, on separating the white from the yolk by hand. Way better kitchen experience to be hands-on than a fancy tool! XOXO

    Reply

    • Kelsie says

      It’s the easiest way! I never break yolks using just my hands. Thank you Lindsay! Have an awesome weekend!

      Reply

  9. Katherine | Love In My Oven says

    Egg whites are totally divas, haha love that comment. I have never made a pavlova but I really need to try. Blackberries are my FAVOURITE berry (no joke) so this just seems like the perfect place to start. Have a great weekend my lovely!! XO

    Reply

  10. wearenotmartha says

    This is gorgeous! I love making pavlova and am always looking for fun new ways to enjoy it… I made one a couple weeks ago that was a major flop due to the humidity (or maybe my own human error?!?) and I’m still sad about it!

    Sues

    Reply

    • Kelsie says

      Thank you Sues! Oh nooooo! I bet it was the humidity. I lived through a few summers in the Northeast and barely made it out alive. I’d be shocked if egg whites could survive :). Have a great weekend!

      Reply

  11. Allie R Taylor says

    Hey Kelsie! This pavlova is gorgeous – I’m in awe over the addition of cardamom! Love blackberries anyway you eat them, and the lime says summer summer summer. Hope you’re staying cool and having the best summer ever, my friend.

    Reply

  12. evolvewithmary says

    I’ve never had Pavlova, I’ve seen it on cooking competitions and it looks difficult to make, but that’s never stopped me before. I love cardamom also, such an incising flavor.

    Reply

    • Kelsie says

      Haha! Never let fear stop you from whipping a few egg whites :). I have total confidence that you can make a pavlova successfully! Thank you, Mary! Have a great weekend!

      Reply

  13. Dawn @ Girl Heart Food says

    Seriously, though, isn’t that always how it is…you made this limeade and thinking you’d have lots and nope. Always. Anywho, you’ll have to make extra next time 😉

    This pavlova!!!! This looks seriously unbelievably fantastically good, Kelsie!! What a freakin’ combo! Pavlova has been on my list of things to make since I saw Mary Berry make it on The Great British Baking show. I meant to make last Christmas, but didn’t get around to it. I’ll have to watch out for those diva eggs tho 😉 Laughed out loud at that one!! Thanks for a kick ass recipe and laugh, girl! Cheers to a wonderful weekend! xo

    Reply

    • Kelsie says

      Thank you Dawn! Definitely try a pavlova soon. They’re SO MUCH FUN! I feel fancy just saying the word pavlova, so I feel extra-fancy eating a slice, haha! Have a great weekend, my friend!

      Reply

  14. Deepika|TheLoveOfCakes says

    Wow! How come I am hearing the recipe for a pavlova for the first time :D! I have never tasted one, let alone made it.. But this sounds so delicious!! And I love the flavors! Lime, cardamom and blackberries is fantastic :). Thanks for the detailed recipe Kelsie..it is a bit technical..but your step by step explanation and tips help so much!

    Reply

    • Kelsie says

      Thank you so much, Deepika! I have total confidence that you can pull off a pavlova without trouble :). The flavors work so well together; if you try it you’ll have to let me know. Have a great weekend, my dear!

      Reply

  16. Milena | Craft Beering says

    Cardamom, blackberries and lime sounds really interesting. I have not tried the combo, but I love it when adding a spice brings other flavors to the forefront and I’m intrigued by your limeade:) So true about Pavlovas though, being a blank canvass for so many other flavor combos. This one looks amazing!

    Reply

    • Kelsie says

      Thank you Milena! Somehow the cardamom makes the lime a little more tart almost. It’s just amazing! Have a great weekend, my dear!

      Reply

  18. David @ Spiced says

    Ugh. My internet is out this morning, so I’m working in a coffee shop for internet. And said coffee shop’s internet just ate my last comment. Basically I need to make a pavlova because…wait for it…I’ve never made one before! I also love cardamom, but I’ve only ever used it in Fall baking. Blackberries also happen to be my favorite summer berry! So all together, this recipe is screaming my name! I would never have guess the blackberry + lime + cardamom combo, but I trust your taste buds. So pass me a slice (scoop?) of that pavlova, and we can continue being blog friends! 🙂

    Reply

    • Kelsie says

      WHAT? I live in fear of losing my internet connection. Seriously, remember the days when internet wasn’t even a thing? I don’t know how you’re not ripping your hair out and I hope your internet comes back soon! I’ll send you a few slices of pav asap. The flavors really do work together! Have a great (and internet-connected, I hope) weekend!

      Reply

  19. Ben|Havocinthekitchen says

    Cardamom has been one of my favorite spices for a couple of years too, Kelsie. I’ve been adding it to almost everything from lemonades and iced coffee/tea to ice cream and oatmeal. This combo of blackberries, lime, and cardamom sounds fantastic. And definitely I wish I had a slice of this Pavlova. Do you think we can organize it?:)

    Reply

    • Kelsie says

      Haha! I’ll send you a couple of slices! I’ll have to try cardamom in lemonade, as I’ve only combined it with lime. I’m thinking it’s going to be just as delicious with lemon! Have a great weekend!

      Reply

  20. Miriam @londonkitchendiaries says

    What a beautiful summer dessert – love the sound of the marshmallow soft inside and I love cardamom. Great tips on working with egg whites! Have a wonderful weekend, Kelsie!

    Reply

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