You know what makes this Friday good (besides it literally being “Good Friday”)? Mini Pavlovas.

There is something so splendid about these little puffs of meringue that are crunchy on the outside and soft like clouds on the inside. They are the perfect canvas for a sweet Easter surprise! Fill ’em with chocolate, cookies, mini eggs or sweet summer berries! Smother ’em in lemon curd, whipped cream, salted caramel or dark chocolate! Sprinkle ’em with chopped mint, colourful sprinkles, icing sugar, toasted coconut, or edible flowers! No matter how you fill them, smother them, or sprinkle them they make the most delicious and stunning dessert for Easter!

Now, I’ve professed my undying love for pavlova many times before on this blog (four times to be exact), so I guess you could say I am a pavlova expert… or just obsessed lunatic. Either way, I have four tips you might find useful when making the perfect pavlova for Easter!

Tip #1: Don’t Use Liquid Egg Whites

I’ve tried several times and failed to turn my egg whites into stiff peaks when using liquid egg whites. If you’ve found success please let me know, but for me, using good ol’ egg whites from fresh Canadian eggs works best!

Tip #2: Say “NO” To The Sugar Rush

There are some things in life you cannot rush: a vacation, large financial commitments, and adding sugar to the egg whites. In might seem super slow to add the sugar 1 tbsp at a time, but you want to give it enough time to fully dissolve (otherwise your peaks will fall flat!). To check if the sugar is dissolving, simply stop your mixer and rub some of the meringue between your fingers; if it feels gritty, the sugar has not dissolved.

Tip #3: Bake Don’t Brown

Unless your pavlova is flavoured with something brown (like chocolate or coffee) it should come out of the oven looking white and bright! My method of actively baking the meringue nests for 1 hour and then letting them rest inside the oven (sans heat) allows the pavlova to form that lovely crisp outside while remaining light and fluffy on the inside.

Tip #4: You Can Use Vinegar, But I Prefer Cream of Tartar

Now, not everyone has cream of tartar on-hand, so in a pinch, you can use vinegar, but I prefer to use cream of tartar as it helps stabilize the egg whites and creates more volume for a fluffier, lighter meringue.