"Why does mine look like she's crying?" A Tearless Guide to the Perfect Pavlova

If trifle is the ultimate stoic Christmas dessert, then pavlova is its puffy, needy, time-sensitive opposite. The former can be hacked with store-bought sponges and jelly packets and live just fine in the fridge until ready to serve. The latter requires in-depth knowledge of the alchemy of the egg white and your kitchen's microclimate to achieve the marshmallow's delicate core and crispy exterior.

" Anything with just a few ingredients is nightmarishly hard – because it's all technique," says pastry chef Alistair Wise. "You can't put microherbs on it and hopefully it's okay. " "model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.RichLinkBlockElement" class="dcr-11ra563"/>

Although the pavlova is delicate and fragile, your approach should be robust. We asked three experts , including Wise, chef and recipe developer Ismat Awan, and food stylist and photographer Nidhi Sampat, their tips on baking and decorating a flawless, fluffy pavlova for Christmas and beyond.

Before: clean bowls, clean sugar and a dry day

"Don't do it never a rainy day. Forget it,” says Wise, who founded the Hobart Sweet Envy bakery. Pavlovas are best made the night before eating, so if it's a wet or humid Christmas Eve, grab a backup dessert.

You'll need bowls. Many bowls. And they must be very dry and very clean. "I know this might sound really frustrating to some people, but you know, we have dishwashers in the modern age, and if that's not the case, just spend some extra time with your loved ones around the kitchen. 'sink and laundry,' Awan says. pageElements.ImageBlockElement" class=" dcr-173mewl">

You will need three bowls to separate the egg whites from the yolks: one for the whites, a second for the yolks and the third as a safety net when you crack each fresh egg. That way, if a yolk falls into the bowl, you can discard just one egg rather than the whole batch of whites. "If there's a yolk in it, leave it for a later omelette and start over," says Awan.

Recipes vary, but the sugar-to-egg ratio is about 55 g for each egg white. For a pavlova for six people, you will need about four egg whites and about 220g of sugar.

For whipping egg whites, a large bowl stainless steel or glass is best, as plastic can harbor moisture and grease—pavlova's sworn enemies. “Egg that...