Pavlova Bombs are mini pavlovas balls filled with lemon curd, raspberry coulis and whipped cream. They look so innocent when placed before you \u2013 then they explode<\/em> with colourful fillings when you smash <\/em>into them! Shockingly easy \u2013 just poke a hole in the base, and fill. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n I do love a good Pav! They are so iconically Aussie-Christmas. In years gone by, I\u2019ve done a towering Christmas tree pav<\/a>, Mini Pavlovas<\/a>, and yup, even a regular one<\/a>. <\/p>\n This year might be my best yet. Introducing \u2013 Pavlova Bombs!! Inspired by a pavlova ball<\/a> I recently had at Bessie\u2019s<\/a> restaurant (rapidly becoming one of my favourite nice-restaurants in town), this is a pavlova that\u2019s got hidden fillings inside. Imagine the wow<\/em> factor when you <\/em>smash the pavlova open!<\/p>\n The pavlova ball I had a Bessies was filled with elderflower strawberries. I chose Raspberry Coulis<\/a> and Lemon Curd<\/a> for visual impact (bright red streaks against yellow lemon curd looks so striking), and also because fruit + pav is my favourite thing ever. Using the leftover yolks from the pav in the lemon curd is also handy!<\/p>\n Look how innocent it looks before you smash it open\u2026.<\/p>\n No clue of the incredible filling inside!!!<\/p>\n Entertainment factor aside, the flavour and texture combination here is stellar. You\u2019ve got the sugary meringue shell and marshmallow insides, then fruity berry tartness from the Raspberry Coulis and silly-smooth custardy tang from the lemon curd. Plus, whipped cream of course!!! Is it really a Pav without whipped cream??<\/p>\n You can fill it with anything that can be poured or stuffed inside: passionfruit pulp, mango puree, chopped berries, chocolate syrup, salted caramel\u2026 CAN YOU IMAGINE!<\/p>\n As impressive as they look, they are surprisingly straightforward to make. You just shape the pavlova into a dome shape, punch a hole in the base and fill using a piping bag or just pour in the hole. Then plug the hole with cream, invert, and serve!<\/p>\n The Pavlova Bomb shells need to be started at least 5 hours before serving as they require 1 1\/2 hours in the oven then 3 hours to cool in the turned off oven (to fully dry out and set). I typically make them the night before then leave them in the oven overnight while I sleep, then store in an airtight container until required.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s all you need to make the Pavlova Bombs shell:<\/p>\n Egg whites <\/strong>\u2013 We need 80ml \/ 1\/3 cup of egg whites which is approximately 3 to 4 large eggs. Using the right amount for Pavs really matters, given it is the key ingredient, so we need to measure rather than relying on \u201c3 eggs\u201d. Unfortunately chickens are extremely selfish and they don\u2019t lay exactly the same size eggs every time. The nerve!!<\/em> \ud83e\udd23<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Caster sugar (superfine sugar)<\/strong> \u2013 This is finer grains than regular white sugar so it dissolves more easily. Usually I say it\u2019s ok to use regular white sugar but for pavs, I highly recommend using caster sugar because if the sugar doesn\u2019t dissolve fully, you end up with sugar crystals on the edges.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Cornflour (cornstarch) and vinegar<\/strong> helps make the pavlova more structurally stable and strong so it won\u2019t crack or collapse which is a common problem with a large\u00a0traditional pavlova<\/a>. Though less of a risk with mini ones, why risk it when we can take this easy precautionary measure? \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n * Sweetness note<\/strong> \u2013 The recipe uses 125g sugar (2\/3 cup) for 3 egg whites, which serves 5. It may sound like a lot, but\u00a0please don\u2019t reduce it<\/strong>. Pavlovas and meringues need enough sugar to bake into a dry, crisp shell. Reduce it and the shell becomes fragile and prone to weeping. I\u2019ve tested this extensively and this is the minimum amount that works. Pavs are sweet, but because they\u2019re light and served with fruit and barely-sweetened cream, they never feel heavy.<\/p>\n I filled these Pavlova Bombs with Lemon Curd<\/a> and Raspberry Coulis<\/a>, both of which balance the sugary shell with tang and berry brightness and bring traditional Pav fruitiness to this dish. Plus cream, of course! It is not a Pavlova without the presence of cream! <\/p>\n I\u2019ve written up the Lemon Curd and Raspberry Coulis recipes in separate posts because they are things you\u2019ll use far beyond this recipe. Here they are \u2013 the Raspberry Coulis<\/a> and Lemon Curd<\/a>. The coulis recipe also includes my cheeky shortcut coulis which I make using jam thinned with lemon juice. Because I don\u2019t always have raspberries but I always have jam! \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n Here are the ingredient photos, so you can see at a glance how few ingredients are required:<\/p>\n You don\u2019t have to use raspberry coulis and lemon curd! You can use anything that can be piped, poured or stuffed into a 1.25 cm \/ 1\/2\u2033 hole. Here are some ideas:<\/p>\n Passionfruit pulp \u2013 so very Aussie pavlova!<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Mango puree \u2013 literally, just puree mango flesh. Excellent thick oozing consistency!)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Chopped berries, cherries or other soft fruit \u2013 small enough to shove through the hole. You could also macerate the strawberries in a little sugar to soften and get some juice.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Chocolate sauce, caramel sauce or any other sauce you desire!<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Pecan Toffee Crumble (from this recipe<\/a>) or any other candied nuts, praline etc.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Chopped nuts, dried fruit (glace cherries!)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n I have been making the pavlova bomb shells the night before then leaving them overnight in the turned off oven. I make the Raspberry Coulis<\/a> and Lemon Curd<\/a> while the Pavlova is in the oven then leave them in piping bags overnight, ready to fill the Pav shells. I also whip the cream the day before and leave that in a piping bag. I stabilise it using Cream Stabiliser so it doesn\u2019t weep or deflate \u2013 see Stabilised Whipped Cream recipe<\/a>.<\/p>\n Then I have the garnishes ready to go \u2013 pistachios chopped, mint sprigs picked, extra raspberries. You can even puncture the holes in the pavlova ahead of time.<\/p>\n Then it\u2019s just a matter of filling and plating. The piping bag is my best friend for assembling things with speed! <\/p>\n<\/div>\n Much more straightforward than you might imagine! For one thing, small pavlovas are easier to make and handle than a single large one, and far less fragile. Also, the meringue fluff is sturdier than you think, so don\u2019t be afraid to shape it into balls. You can push, smear and reshape as needed, and the fluff won\u2019t deflate.<\/p>\n Key tips<\/strong> \u2013 separate the eggs and whites while the eggs are fridge cold (it\u2019s easier). Measure the whites by volume (we need 1\/3 cup \/ 80 ml). And take the fridge chill out of whites before beating as they fluff better when they are not fridge cold! <\/p>\n Separate<\/strong> yolks and whites while the eggs are fridge cold. Set yolks aside \u2013 we need them for the curd.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Measure <\/strong>out 80ml (1\/3 cup) egg whites (it\u2019s ok if you\u2019re ~10ml \/ 2 teaspoons short \/ over). Leave<\/strong> the egg whites for 15 minutes before whipping, to take the fridge-chill out of them (will whip better).<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n Gradually add sugar \u2013 <\/strong>In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk or handheld beater, beat the egg whites for 1 minute on high speed until soft peaks form. (I use speed 8 of 10 on my KitchenAid). Then with the beater still running, gradually add the sugar over 30 seconds. This keeps the whites more aerated and ensures the sugar dissolves properly.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n Vinegar & cornflour<\/strong> \u2013 Beat 5 minutes\u00a0on speed 10. The whites will become thick and glossy, and when you rub between your fingers there should be no sugar grit remaining. If there is, keep beating. Add the vinegar and cornflour then beat for a further 30 seconds.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Piping bag<\/strong> \u2013 Transfer the meringue mixture in a piping bag and snip off a large 1.5cm \/ 0.6\u2033 opening. (You could also just dollop mounds using a large spoon).<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n Mounds \u2013 <\/strong>Dab a bit of meringue in the corners of a tray (stops paper from sliding) then line the tray with baking paper (parchment paper). Pipe 5 mounds on the tray, then smooth into domes that are taller than they are wide (they flatten slightly when baked). Mine are about 4 cm \/ 1.6\u2033 wide and 6.5cm \/2.6\u2033 tall. Don\u2019t fret about making the surface smooth, it gets decorated later, no one will notice a few bumps and smears!<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Bake 1 hour 30 minutes <\/strong>at 110\u00b0C\/225\u00b0F (100\u00b0C fan-forced) or until the base is crisp and dry to touch. If it is still sticky, keep baking.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n Cool in the oven<\/strong> \u2013 Turn the oven off and leave the pav bombs in the closed oven for 3 hours, or even overnight (I usually do this). This step is super important for Pav stability \u2013 gradual cooling of the oven and stabilising the fragile meringue shell without overcooking it, going brown or taking it so far the marshmallow centre dries out (travesty!).<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Store<\/strong> in airtight containers until required. It\u2019s best to use within 24 hours of baking them but they are still 95% as great on day 2 (marshmallow inside deflates a bit). <\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n Fresher eggs<\/strong> work better, they fluff more. If using freshly laid eggs (for those of you who happen to have chickens in your yard), you\u2019ll need to beat for a couple of extra minutes to get volume as the whites are so tight. 4 \u2013 5 day old eggs are ideal (that\u2019s \u201cfresh\u201d, in shops!).<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Separate eggs one at a time<\/strong> if you\u2019re new to it. This way, you won\u2019t ruin the whole batch if you accidentally get some yolks into the whites. Egg whites tainted with even a drop of egg yolk won\u2019t fluff up properly.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Whip at room temperature<\/strong> \u2013 While eggs separate better when cold, they fluff up when they are not fridge cold. So after measuring out the egg whites, leave it on the counter while you prepare the other ingredients, tray etc.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Clean bowls<\/strong> \u2013 Make sure your bowl and whisk is clean and dry. Pavs are finicky things and don\u2019t like grease or water, it will prevent the egg whites from fluffing properly.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/details>\n OK! This is the fun part. Well, other than smashing it. Oh, and eating it!! This is a dessert that scores high for every aspect \u2013 making, smashing, eating!<\/p>\n Piping bags<\/strong> \u2013 Transfer the chilled raspberry coulis<\/a>, lemon curd<\/a> and whipped cream into separate piping bags. Snip a small hole from the end of the coulis and lemon curd bags (~3 \u2013 4 mm) and a larger hole for the cream bag (~1cm \/ 0.4\u2033 wide). No piping bag<\/strong>? That\u2019s ok, you can pour the coulis and curd in, and use a spoon to smear the cream. A piping bag just makes fast work of the filling part. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Hole<\/strong> \u2013 Using a small sharp knife, cut a 1.25cm \/ 1\/2\u2033 hole in the base of the pav. I put the pav bombs in a muffin tin which keeps them safe and stable while I fill them.<\/p>\n Why not put a hole in the top, <\/strong>which would be easier? Because the shell is more fragile than the flat base. High risk of the shell caving in when you cut or puncture a hole. I tried!<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n Make space<\/strong> \u2013 Stick a chopstick in and jiggle it around slightly to make room for the fillings.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Fill \u2013 <\/strong>Working one pav at a time, pipe some raspberry coulis in first (about 1 1\/2 teaspoons), then lemon curd (about 2 \u2013 2 1\/2 teaspoons).<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n TIP<\/strong> \u2013 Don\u2019t overfill; too much weight or liquid will break or dissolve the delicate shell. Fill one Pavlova Bomb at a time because the meringue softens quickly. Once you flip it upright you\u2019re safe \u2013 no risk of the filling damaging the presentation surface. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n Plug<\/strong> the hole with cream.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Plate up \u2013 <\/strong>Pipe a bed of cream on a plate, a nice amount for eating with the pav. It also stops the pav bomb from sliding around when you cut into it. Carefully place the pav bomb on the cream, hole side down. Smear some more cream on the surface, sprinkle with pistachio nuts, top with a raspberry, mint, then dust with icing sugar. Serve!!<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n These Pavlova Bombs plate up beautifully as individual desserts, or you can put out a platter of them for everyone to help themselves. Carefully! This is not a dessert to be grabbed with enthusiastic hands \u2013 can you imagine?? They\u2019d explode like\u2026..well bombs! \ud83d\udca5<\/p>\n If doing the latter (ie platter form), don\u2019t put the pavs on extra cream because it will soften the shell of the meringue so when you pick it up, all the fillings will pour out through the base. How do you think I know that??! \ud83e\udd23 It happened at around the 20 minute mark when I was faffing around in the shoot room.<\/p>\n And before I sign off, one last thought. Yes, the Pav Bomb shells are a little delicate. Yes, my elephant fingers have cracked a couple over the past few batches.<\/p>\n If it\u2019s just a minor crack, just hide it with cream.<\/p>\n If it\u2019s a little more dramatic and not salvageable, do the obligatory gasp, stamp your foot, wail\u2026 then scoop it all up (use a spatula to keep it together as best you can), and scrape it into a cocktail glass. Present it proudly as an Eton Mess! I mean, it\u2019s just a deconstructed Pavlova! \u2013 Nagi x<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n PS. Question \u2013 who gets the Eton Mess while everyone else gets a perfect white sphere? \ud83e\udd23<\/p>\n PPS. For those new to Eton Mess, it is a real dessert of crumbled meringue piled into a dish with cream, curd, coulis, all the good things. It\u2019s so pretty, and my friends tell me it\u2019s a standout of all the desserts I\u2019ve made them over the years!<\/p>\n \n![\"Pavlova](\"https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/tachyon\/2025\/12\/Pavlova-bombs_6.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nPavlova Bombs<\/h2>\n
![\"Pavlova](\"https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/tachyon\/2025\/12\/Pavlova-bombs_1.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n![\"Pavlova](\"https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/tachyon\/2025\/12\/Pavlova-bombs_2.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nWhat Pavlova Bombs taste like<\/h2>\n
![\"Pavlova](\"https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/tachyon\/2025\/12\/Pavlova-bomb-filings-coulis-curd-and-cream_9.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/tachyon\/2025\/12\/Making-pavlova-bombs.jpg?fit=900%2C675\")
<\/figure>\n1. Ingredients for pavlova bombs<\/h3>\n
![\"How](\"https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/tachyon\/2025\/12\/Pavlova-Bombs-Ingredients-1.jpg\")
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2. pavlova bomb fillings<\/h3>\n
![\"Pavlova](\"https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/tachyon\/2025\/12\/Pavlova-bomb-fillings.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/tachyon\/2025\/12\/Raspberry-Coulis-Ingredients.jpg?fit=900%2C857\")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/tachyon\/2025\/12\/Lemon-Curd-Ingredients.jpg?fit=900%2C857\")
Other filling ideas<\/h3>\n
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![\"Pavlova](\"https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/tachyon\/2025\/12\/Pavlova-bombs_4.jpg\")
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\nMy Pavlova Bomb workflow \u2013 and preparing ahead<\/h2>\n
How to make Pavlova Bombs<\/h2>\n
1. How to make the Pavlova Bomb Shells<\/h3>\n
![\"How](\"https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/tachyon\/2025\/12\/How-to-make-Pavlova-Bombs-6.jpg\")
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/tachyon\/2025\/12\/How-to-make-Pavlova-Balls-6.jpg?fit=900%2C334\")
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/tachyon\/2025\/12\/How-to-make-Pavlova-Balls-7.jpg?fit=900%2C342\")
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/tachyon\/2025\/12\/How-to-make-Pavlova-Balls-3.jpg?fit=900%2C330\")
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/tachyon\/2025\/12\/How-to-make-Pavlova-Balls-4.jpg?fit=900%2C328\")
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EXTRA MERINGUE MAKING TIPS!<\/strong><\/summary>\n
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![\"Pavlova](\"https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/tachyon\/2025\/12\/Pavlova-bombs_0.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n2. How to FILL THE PAVLOVA BOMBS<\/h3>\n
![\"How](\"https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/tachyon\/2025\/12\/How-to-make-Pavlova-Bombs-1.jpg\")
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![\"How](\"https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/tachyon\/2025\/12\/How-to-make-Pavlova-Bombs-2.jpg\")
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![\"How](\"https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/tachyon\/2025\/12\/How-to-make-Pavlova-Bombs-3.jpg\")
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![\"Pavlova](\"https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/tachyon\/2025\/12\/Pavlova-bombs-plated.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n![\"Pavlova](\"https:\/\/www.recipetineats.com\/tachyon\/2025\/12\/Pavlova-bombs_7.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nBroken pav = Eton Mess!<\/h2>\n
\nWatch how to make it<\/h2>\n