Blueberry Fool Pavlova
Lightly mixing whipped cream and blueberry puree makes this Pavlova what the British call a fool.
By Yankee Magazine|Jun 28 2026|
Blueberry Fool Pavlova
Credit: William HerefordIn her cookbook, A Kitchen on Goose Cove: Recipes from the Heart of Maine, chef and author Devin Finigan writes: “[This pavlova] checks all the boxes that I want in a dessert: crispness, from the light-as-air meringue; creaminess, from the whipped cream; and sweetness, from the blueberry puree. Lightly mixing whipped cream and puree, so that veins of blue run through the white cream, makes it what the British call a fool. You’ll top it with the sweet pop and light tang of fresh blueberries, ideally just picked from a Maine blueberry barren.”
This Blueberry Fool Pavlova recipe from Devin Finigan first appeared in the July/August 2026 issue of Yankee.
Yield
6 servings
For the infused cream
Ingredients
2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons chopped licorice mint (aka anise hyssop) or regular mint
3 tablespoons powdered sugar (for assembling)
Instructions
First, make the infused cream: In a deep saucepan, warm the heavy cream for a few minutes over medium-low heat. Remove from the heat, add the mint, and steep for 2 hours. Strain, discarding the mint, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Notes
You can find frozen Maine wild blueberries from Wyman’s at supermarkets around the country.
For the meringues
Ingredients
4 egg whites, at room temperature
½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
½ cup (60 grams) powdered sugar
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
Instructions
Meanwhile, make the meringues: Preheat the oven to 200°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Using a stand (with whisk attachment) or hand mixer, beat the egg whites on medium speed until they are quite frothy, about 2 minutes. Add the granulated sugar and continue whisking until soft peaks start to form, then increase the mixer speed to high and beat until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes. Add the powdered sugar and cream of tartar and briefly mix to incorporate. The mixture should be glossy and smooth; you should not be able to feel any grittiness if you rub a little between your thumb and finger.
Dollop the meringue in 6 equal portions onto the lined baking sheet. Using the back of a tablespoon, make a depression in each meringue. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven.
Bake until the meringues are firm and dry, 1½ hours. They should be light and airy and release easily from the sheet. Set aside to cool for 30 minutes.
For the blueberry puree
Ingredients
2 cups blueberries, fresh or thawed frozen
¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Pinch of kosher salt
2 tablespoons fresh blueberries (for assembling)
Instructions
While the meringues are baking, make the blueberry puree: In a deep saucepan, combine the blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt. Stir with a wooden spoon and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Immediately reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the berries are quite soft, about 6 minutes. You may need to adjust the heat so that the blueberries don’t spatter outside the pan.
Transfer the mixture to a blender. Starting on low speed, then increasing to medium, puree until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a fine-mesh sieve, strain the mixture into a small bowl and set aside.
To assemble: In a bowl, using an electric mixer or a whisk, whip the chilled infused cream and powdered sugar until medium-stiff peaks form, 3 to 5 minutes. Gently fold half of the blueberry puree into the whipped cream. You want to see veins of blueberries running through the white cream. Reserve the rest of the puree to spoon over the meringue.
To serve: Place the meringues on separate plates, spoon the remaining blueberry puree into the middle of the meringues, and finish with the whipped cream mixture and fresh berries. It’s best to serve immediately, but it will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
