Strawberry Citrus Pavlova
Photography by MOLLY DECOUDREAUX
Photography by MOLLY DECOUDREAUX
Photography by MOLLY DECOUDREAUX
FULL BELLY FARM & KITCHEN: RECIPES AND STORIES FROM A FAMILY FARM
REVIEW BY ARIANNA LITRENTA
RECIPES BY AMON AND JENNA MULLER
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MOLLY DECOUDREAUX
For our spring Cookbook Club, we’re diving into the folds of Full Belly Farm & Kitchen: Recipes and Stories from a Family Farm, featuring an exclusive from authors and Full Belly Farm owners Amon and Jenna Muller. Their debut cookbook offers an intimate look at life on a working farm and the central role of seasonality on and off the page. We’re honoring that approach with three strawberry recipes that celebrate the season’s beloved fruit and Full Belly’s produce-driven spirit.
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This dessert has endless potential—you can use any combination of fruit on top. The meringues can be made ahead of time and kept in an airtight container for several days. Once you top them with fruit, they will absorb the juices, so that step should happen right before you serve. My daughter Hazel always asks for this on her birthday with the meringues stacked up in place of cake layers. Jenna
Recipes and images excerpted with permission from Full Belly Farm & Kitchen: Recipes and Stories from a Family Farm by Amon and Jenna Muller (Hardie Grant Publishing, March 2026).
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This recipe originally appeared as part of the Spring 2026 Cookbook Club in issue 82.
Ingredients
MAKES 8 TO 10 MINI PAVLOVAS OR ONE 9-INCH PAVLOVA
- MERINGUE
- 4 large egg whites
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- TOPPING
- 1 pint (about 2 cups) strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 3 mandarins, peeled and cut into pieces
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 to 2 sprigs fresh lemon verbena, leaves picked and finely chopped
- 1 cup freshly whipped cream, lightly sweetened or unsweetened
Make Strawberry Citrus Pavlova
- Make the meringue: Preheat the oven to 250°. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and draw a 9-inch circle on the paper if making a large meringue or several smaller circles for individual servings. For smaller meringues, I use the lid of a wide-mouth Mason jar, which is approximately 3 inches wide, to make my circles. You can also freeform this. Once you have drawn circles, flip the paper over so the circles are underneath.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk (or in a large bowl with a hand mixer), beat the egg whites at medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar, a tablespoon at a time, and continue beating until stiff, glossy peaks form. This may take 5 to 7 minutes. Add in the vanilla and lemon juice and sift the cornstarch over the top, then gently fold together. This helps stabilize the meringue and adds a slight tanginess to complement the sweetness of the fruit.
- Spoon the meringue mixture onto the prepared sheet pan, shaping it into a round (for the large pavlova) or individual nests inside the circle(s). Smooth the sides and top, making a small well in the center, which will eventually hold the fruit.
- Bake the meringue(s) until crisp on the outside but soft and marshmallow-like inside, 1 hour for smaller meringues or 1 1⁄2 to 2 hours for a large pavlova. Turn off the oven and let the meringue(s) cool completely in the oven with the door slightly ajar.
- Make the topping: Place the sliced strawberries and mandarin pieces in a bowl. Sprinkle with the sugar and lemon verbena. Let the fruit macerate for 15 to 20 minutes to release their juices and intensify the flavors.
- Once the meringue has cooled, spoon the macerated fruit mixture on top. Dollop with whipped cream.
- Serve immediately.
AMON AND JENNA MULLER
Amon and Jenna Muller are farmers and the authors of Full Belly Farm & Kitchen: Recipes and Stories from a Family Farm.
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