Yes! It'll turn to mush. Pavlova is what it is because it's so delicate. Any moisture (i.e., whipped cream) added much before serving, and it'll self-destruct. I don't know how the coconut version sets. If you can do that ahead of time on the torte and cherries, fine. Regular whipped cream is best right out of mixer, but as a cake layer, should survive, covered (cake dome) in the fridge for a few hours. The pavlova itself, untouched, should survive from morning to dinnertime if it's not humid where you're keeping it. So you could assemble the bottom ahead of time, and just put the pavlova and flakes on right before serving. Or, if you can't do that, right before dinner, but it'll be best right before serving.

Happy Birthday!! (I figure it's as much a special day for the parents as those they created, and you wouldn't be making such a fancy confection if he weren't a great son.)

I was pretty surprised that it got a little soft in the hours after baking it. I add the pavlova at the last minute. I'm glad I waited.

I don't do many sweets so when I do I try to go all out if I'm not in a lazy mood.

Oh, I'm so glad it only got a little soft and it all worked!

I wasn't about to say anything when there was nothing to be done but I was thinking, "Oh, no! It's already baked! It's going to droop!" Pavlova can hold about eight hours, but that's pushing it. I'm glad it was only a little soft. The whole thing sounds gorgeous and I hope everyone enjoyed eating it.

Pavlova is different from a meringue like that which is used for a pie topping. For a pavlova you generally use at least 1/4 cup of sugar per egg white and bake it long ( like for more than an hour) and slow ( like at 250) until it's dry. Where the meringue like you would use on top of a lemon meringue pie used 2 T sugar per egg white and is usually bakes hot ( 425) for a short time ( like 5 minutes) so the meringue browns on the tips but is still soft inside.
you could make either type 4 o 5 hours ahead....but I think a Pavlova type of meringue might not be so easy to cut when on the cake.
then there is another type of whipped egg white frosting that uses egg whites and sugar at the ratio of 1/4 cup sugar per egg white and some corn syrup and beat all in a double boiler over simmering water until stiff peaks form. that is the most stable of the eggwhite frostings,.

The classic pavlova is supposed to be soft and chewy on the inside, as opposed to the meringue's crispness.

Meringues I know are not crisp. A meringue cookie may be crisp and crunchy, but a meringue to be used as a topping is not like a Pavlova in texture....

It's not worth getting bogged down on words which may refer to many things. Pavlova, which comes from Colleen's part of the world, is usually classed as a type of meringue. When bakers say that, they're using the word meringue to refer to the whole class of sweetened whipped eggwhite confections. There are also at least three ways to make classic meringue: French, Italian and Swiss, which differ by which bits are heated when.

The point for Cookie8's layers is that Pavlova is crisp on the outside and chewy inside, whereas, as Linda said, a lot of American pies and other desserts have a layer of French meringue which is often torched or baked high just to brown the top, but is soft and fluffy from the outside all the way through. Which is different from meringues, the piped or quenelled and baked until crisp all the way through "cookies".

French meringue : egg white and sugar beaten, not heated, cooked in low oven til crisp and dry. Slightly squdgy and deish in the middle. Will keep a LONG time in a hermetically sealed box. Is used as meringues served with whipped cream. Is also used for Pavlova.

Swiss meringue : as above, but mixture is beaen over bain marie until temp reaches 55 - 60°C, then beaten until cool. Cooked as above, but is very hard and is usually used in decoration. Keeps.

Italian meringue : Sugar syrup, heated to 110 - 120°C is added to beaten egg whites. Used for macarons, baked alaska, toppings etc. Doesn't keep.

I have made pavlova several times - though not in such a complex decadent layer constructed confection as this. Wow! Yum!!! My favorite so far has been chocolate pavlova with whipped cream and raspberries.

I learned something funny today - microwave meringues! No beating and readyin a minute and a half!

Mix one lightly beaten egg white with 300g icing sugar. You should have quite a hard ball. Break of marble sized bits, roll into balls. Put some kitchen paper on a plate and put 4 balls evenly spaced apart. Microwae 1 minute then test for doneness. If firm, llow to cool. If not, try another 30 seconds. Just tried it and it works LOL

I'm not sure whether I should be delighted or appalled! Very interesting. It actually makes sense when you think about how a microwave "cooks". I think the size is the trick so they're done before they go weird. :) Thanks for posting that.

My MIL uses her microwave for everything - I will have to let her know on this one. Not sure if if it's a trick but I used half the sugar for mine and it turned out great. I really do not have a sweet tooth at all. I like it but full sugar recipes I just can't do.

I know what you mean, Cookie8. I used mine in an Eton mess - I used unsweetened fromage blanc and fresh fruit.