Mini Hot Toddy Pavlovas (Printable)

Crisp whisky-spiced meringues topped with whipped cream and tender pears—a playful twist on the classic toddy.

# Ingredient List:

→ Meringues

01 - 4 large egg whites, room temperature
02 - 1 cup caster sugar
03 - 1 teaspoon cornstarch
04 - ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
05 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
06 - ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
07 - ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

→ Poached Pears

08 - 2 ripe pears, peeled, cored, and diced
09 - ¼ cup whisky
10 - ¼ cup water
11 - 3 tablespoons brown sugar
12 - 1 cinnamon stick
13 - 3 whole cloves
14 - 1 strip lemon zest

→ Whipped Cream

15 - ¾ cup heavy cream, chilled
16 - 1 tablespoon icing sugar
17 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Garnish

18 - Ground cinnamon for garnish, optional
19 - Lemon zest for garnish, optional

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 250°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a clean, dry mixing bowl, whisk egg whites until soft peaks form. Add cream of tartar and whisk to combine.
03 - Gradually add the caster sugar, one tablespoon at a time, whisking until stiff, glossy peaks form.
04 - Gently fold in cornstarch, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg until fully incorporated.
05 - Spoon or pipe 8 small meringue nests onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them 2 inches apart.
06 - Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until crisp and dry. Turn off oven and let meringues cool inside with the door slightly ajar for 30 minutes.
07 - In a saucepan, combine whisky, water, brown sugar, cinnamon stick, cloves, and lemon zest. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
08 - Add diced pears and cook gently for 10-12 minutes, until tender but not mushy. Remove pears with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool. Discard spices and zest.
09 - In a chilled bowl, beat heavy cream, icing sugar, and vanilla extract until soft peaks form. Refrigerate until assembly.
10 - Top each meringue nest with a dollop of whipped cream and spoonfuls of spiced pears. Drizzle lightly with poaching syrup if desired.
11 - Dust with extra ground cinnamon or lemon zest before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They look elegant and impressive but are surprisingly forgiving to make, even if your meringues crack a little.
  • The whisky-poached pears bring warmth and depth that perfectly balance the airy sweetness of the meringue.
  • You can prep the meringues and pears ahead, then assemble them in minutes when guests arrive.
02 -
  • Don't rush adding the sugar to the egg whites, if you dump it in all at once, the meringue won't get stiff and glossy.
  • Let the meringues cool completely in the oven with the door ajar, pulling them out too soon can cause them to collapse or crack.
  • Don't overcook the pears, they should be tender but not falling apart, or they'll turn mushy on top of the meringues.
03 -
  • Make sure your bowl and whisk are completely grease-free before whipping egg whites, even a tiny bit of fat will stop them from reaching stiff peaks.
  • If your meringues crack a little, don't worry, just cover the cracks with cream and fruit, no one will ever know.
  • Save any leftover poaching syrup and stir it into cocktails, drizzle it over ice cream, or use it to sweeten your morning oatmeal.
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