No Christmas spread is complete without a classic pav. And while you can go above and beyond and make your own pavlova from scratch, some of us might find ourselves better off hitting up Woolworths, Coles or Aldi for a supermarket pavlova – and there is absolutely no shame in that!
To hep you buy the best possible pre-made pavlova, we decided to put five premade pavlovas from Coles, Woolworths, and ALDI to the test. Here’s what we discovered.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
We blind taste-tested pavlovas from Coles, Woolworths and Aldi.
There were no clear winners, as taste-testers were divided between their preferences for either ‘soft’ or ‘crunchy’ pavlova bases.
While Coles’ pavlova scored 7/10—the same as Woolworths’ contenders—it received the most enthusiastic feedback and was compared to a homemade pavlova.
(Credit: Tahni Mesann)
Which supermarket pavlova is the best?
It’s difficult to say which supermarket pavlova is the best based on the average scores we received out of 10. During the test, many were divided between whether they prefer crunchy or soft pavlovas, and whether they prefer the base to be sweet or more neutral in flavour. In the end, four pavlovas tied for first place, with a rating of 7/10.
The pavlova that scored most poorly was Aldi’s pavlova base. It was very soft in texture but didn’t quite measure up to its rivals at Coles and Woolworths.
Coles Rustic pavlova: 7/10 (“homemade”)
Woolworths Baileys flavoured pavlovas: 7/10 (“boozy”, “sweet”)
Woolworths Lemon Myrtle pavlovas: 7/10 (“soft”, “fresh”)
Woolworths pavlova wreath with Atherton Tablelands vanilla: 7/10 (this one received some negative comments for its drier texture)
Aldi pavlova base: 5/10 (“gooey”)
The ultimate supermarket pavlova scorecard
Coles rustic pavlova
$12, Coles
RATING: 7/10
TIED FIRST PLACE
“You could buy this and say it’s homemade”, and “it’s just like homemade” were some of the top comments from our taste-testers for Coles’ rustic pavlova. Given its rustic look, if you’re choosing a pav to trick your friends and family into thinking you slaved away in the kitchen beforehand, then this is your top pick.
Top with whipped cream and a generous serving of fresh, seasonal fruits, and you’ll have guests asking for your secret recipe in no time.
Woolworths Baileys flavoured pavlovas (4 pack)
$6.50, Woolworths
RATING: 7/10
TIED FIRST PLACE
Delicious and a lil’ bit boozy, the Baileys flavoured mini pavlovas are the perfect Christmas treat. However, be warned – this one is definitely on the sweeter side, with comments floating around, such as ‘that was just too sweet’ when our taste-testers gave it a whirl.
But, if you’re a sweet tooth at heart, then this may be the pav for you.
Woolworths lemon myrtle pavlovas (4-pack)
$6.50, Woolworths
RATING: 7/10
TIED FIRST PLACE
These were surprisingly good. Fluffy and light, and the freshness of lemon myrtle gave just the right amount of balance to cut through the sweetness. We also love the mini size, as it meant you didn’t have to commit to a whole pavlova on Christmas Day.
Woolworths pavlova wreath with Atherton Tablelands vanilla
$18, Woolworths
RATING: 7/10
TIED FIRST PLACE
Given its premium price point, the Woolies pavlova wreath with Atherton Tablelands vanilla fell short. The texture’s just a bit off, and we’re not sure any amount of fancy vanilla could really save this one.
In short? “That one sucks!”
ALDI pavlova base
$6.99, ALDI
RATING: 5/10
Sitting at the lowest rating of the bunch, unfortunately, is ALDI’s pavlova base. It was a bit bland, which could mean that with a good helping of fresh fruit and cream, it could be saved…
The outside was crunchy and crispy (which we like), and the inside was soft and gooey. So, texture-wise, it hit the brief. But our honest opinion? Skip this one and just make a pav base yourself.
How we taste-tested the supermarket pavlovas
In case anyone had a particular bias towards a supermarket, we removed all the pavlovas from their packaging and labelled them with numbers. In other words, this was a blind taste test. Each person who tasted it would give it a rating out of 10.
Scores were based on three criteria: taste, appearance, and level of Christmassyness (a real word).
We served these pavlovas without fruit or syrups. As pavlova is most commonly served with whipped or thickened cream, we provided taste testers with an optional dollop of thickened cream.
Who were the taste-testers?
As we had enough pavlovas to feed a small village, the entire BHG team and wider office got involved. And with comments and scores given from BHG Digital Editor Tahni Mesann and BHG Editor, Megan Osborne, in the mix…we know this ranking is the real deal.
Ready to know who came out on top? Let’s dig in!
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Contributor
Janet Guan
Contributor
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