Nigella Lawson’s cappuccino pavlova is a coffee meringue, espresso powder whisked into a marshmallowy pavlova base, topped with softly whipped cream and a cappuccino-style dusting of cocoa. It yields 8 to 10 slices, from her book Nigellissima.
She’s inordinately proud of this one, and not ashamed to say so. A self-confessed “pava-holic”, she calls it her first venture into a fruit-free (though, she insists, far from fruitless) pavlova. The instant espresso powder gives a bitter oomph to the sweet, marshmallowy meringue.
One firm instruction sits behind the whole recipe: use instant espresso powder, not instant coffee granules. The powder dissolves smoothly into the sugar and gives a proper, concentrated coffee hit; granules won’t behave the same way.
Nigella Lawson Cappuccino Pavlova
Course: DessertCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy8-10
servings20
minutes1
hour240
kcal1
hour10
minutesNigella’s coffee pavlova from Nigellissima: an espresso meringue base topped with softly whipped cream and a cappuccino-style dusting of cocoa. Yields 8 to 10 slices.
Ingredients
250g caster sugar
4 teaspoons instant espresso powder (not instant coffee granules)
4 large egg whites
1 pinch of salt
2 teaspoons cornflour
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
300ml double cream
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
Directions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas mark 4/350°F. Line a flat oven sheet with parchment and draw a circle on it using a 23cm cake tin as a guide.
- Mix sugar and coffee: Mix the sugar with the espresso powder in a small bowl and set aside.
- Whisk the whites: In a clean, grease-free metal bowl, whisk the egg whites and salt to soft peaks. Keep whisking while you add the sugar-coffee mixture a tablespoon at a time, to a firm, ecru-coloured meringue.
- Fold in: Fold in the cornflour and vinegar with a grease-free metal spoon.
- Shape: Dollop the meringue inside the drawn circle. Smooth and shape with a spatula so it looks like the crown of a boater: it must be flat on top.
- Bake: Put in the oven and immediately turn down to 150°C/130°C fan/gas mark 3/300°F. Cook for 1 hour, then switch off the oven and leave inside until cool.
- Turn out: Once cool, lift the base in its paper, place it top-side down on a flat plate and peel off the paper.
- Top: Whip the double cream until thick but soft and spread delicately over the meringue. Push the cocoa through a fine sieve or tea strainer to dust the top, cappuccino-style.
Notes
- (espresso powder, not granules): Nigella is firm: use instant espresso powder, not instant coffee granules. The powder gives the bitter, concentrated coffee “oomph” and dissolves cleanly into the sugar; granules can stay gritty and taste harsher.
- (flat on top): Shape the meringue so it’s flat on top, like the crown of a boater hat, rather than domed. The flat surface holds the cream and cocoa neatly, cappuccino-style.
- (turned upside down): The base is served top-side down, the flat baked bottom becomes the top, giving a smooth surface for the cream.
- (make ahead): The meringue base can be made ahead to the end of turning it out, kept in an airtight container for up to 2 days, then topped as directed. Keep leftovers refrigerated and eat within 2 days.
- Total time/ About 3 hours (with cooling)
FAQs
Why espresso powder and not instant coffee?
This is the one rule Nigella won’t bend on. Instant espresso powder is finer, darker and far more concentrated than ordinary instant coffee granules, so it dissolves smoothly into the sugar and delivers the deep, bitter coffee “oomph” that balances the sweet meringue. Granules are coarser, weaker and can stay gritty or taste thin and harsh.
You mix the espresso powder straight into the caster sugar before adding it to the egg whites, which distributes the coffee evenly and turns the finished meringue a lovely ecru (coffee-cream) colour. If you can only find granules, you could grind them to a fine powder, but genuine instant espresso powder gives the best result. It’s widely sold in supermarkets near the coffee.
What do the cornflour and vinegar do?
They’re what make it a pavlova rather than a plain, crisp meringue. The combination of cornflour and a little acid (here white wine vinegar) gives the classic pavlova texture: a thin, crisp shell with a soft, marshmallowy, slightly chewy centre. Without them you’d get a meringue that’s crisp all the way through.
You fold them in gently at the end, after the meringue is firm and glossy, using a grease-free metal spoon so you don’t knock out the air. The vinegar also helps stabilise the whisked whites. Keep everything grease-free, as any fat (even a speck of yolk) stops egg whites whipping properly. It’s the same base principle as her rose and pepper pavlova, just flavoured with coffee instead.
How do I stop my pavlova cracking or weeping?
Some cracking is normal and part of a pavlova’s charm, especially once it’s covered in cream. But a few things keep it neat. Bake it low and slow (it goes in at 180°C, then you drop straight to 150°C for an hour), and crucially, switch the oven off and leave the pavlova inside until completely cool. That slow cooling stops the sudden temperature change that causes big cracks.
Don’t open the oven during baking or rush the cooling. Weeping (sugary beads) usually comes from undissolved sugar or humidity, so add the sugar gradually and whisk until the meringue is firm. Because this one is served upside down with the flat base on top, minor cracks on the underside won’t even show once the cream goes on. It’s a forgiving dessert.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes, and it’s a great entertaining dessert for exactly that reason. The meringue base can be made up to 2 days ahead: bake it, cool it, turn it out and keep it in an airtight container somewhere cool and dry (not the fridge, which makes meringue go soft). Then you just whip the cream and assemble on the day.
Don’t top it with cream until fairly close to serving, as once assembled the cream softens the meringue over a few hours (some like that tiramisu-ish texture, but it won’t stay crisp). Leftovers, once topped, should be refrigerated and eaten within 2 days. So make the base ahead, but add the cream and cocoa shortly before it goes to the table for the best contrast of crisp shell and soft centre.
Can I add anything to it, like chocolate or liqueur?
Absolutely, it takes well to a few additions while staying true to its cappuccino character. A grating of dark chocolate over the cocoa, or a scatter of chocolate-covered coffee beans, leans it towards a mocha. A splash of coffee liqueur (like Kahlúa) or Marsala folded through the whipped cream adds a grown-up, tiramisu-like note that suits the coffee beautifully.
Nigella keeps hers elegantly simple with just cream and a cappuccino dusting of cocoa, and that purity is lovely. But it’s a flexible base. You could sweeten the cream very lightly or fold in a little mascarpone for richness. Keep the meringue itself as written, as that’s where the balance of sweet and bitter coffee lives. For another rich coffee-free finish, there’s her chocolate olive oil mousse.
How do I get the cappuccino look?
It’s a simple, pretty finishing touch. Once the softly whipped cream is spread over the meringue (keep it thick but soft, not stiff, so it looks like the foam on a coffee), you dust cocoa over the top. Use a teaspoon to push the cocoa through a fine sieve or a tea strainer, which gives an even, delicate dusting rather than clumps.
That light brown cocoa over white cream is exactly what makes it look like the top of a cappuccino, which is the whole idea. Do the dusting just before serving so the cocoa stays dry and doesn’t dissolve into the cream. For a bit of flair you could hold a stencil over the top first. It’s a dinner-party dessert that looks impressive for very little effort. There’s more on the Nigella Lawson recipes page.
