Chocolate Pavlova with Berries
A chocolatey twist on a classic dessert – this Chocolate Pavlova is dressed with freshly whipped cream, melted chocolate and seasonal berries!
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Ingredients
Pavlova
- 6 Large Eggs at room temperature
- 300 g White caster sugar
- 1 tsp White wine vinegar
- 25 g Menier 100% Cocoa Powder
Decoration
- 600 g Double cream
- 50 g Menier 70% Dark Chocolate melted and cooled
- 200 g Fresh berries strawberries, raspberries, blueberries
- Fresh mint to decorate
Instructions
Start by making the pavlova
- Preheat the oven to 150°C (fan).
- Line a large flat baking tray with greaseproof paper. Draw a 20cm round circle in the middle as a guide for how big to make the pavlova.
- Separate the eggs with the egg whites in one bowl and the yolks in another bowl. Take extra care doing this to make sure no yolk gets into the whites.
- Attach the whisk attachment to your stand mixer and make sure the bowl is spotlessly clean and dry. Tip the egg whites into the bowl.
- Turn your mixer onto a medium-low speed and whisk the egg whites until they reach soft peaks (approx. 6-8 minutes). If you lift the whisk up, a peak should form but then immediately curl over. Read the notes in the blog post for more help on what soft peaks should look like.
- Now add 1 tbsp of the caster sugar at a time, counting 20 seconds between each addition. This will take a little while but it’s important to leave enough time for the sugar to dissolve into the meringue before you add the next spoonful.
- Once all the sugar is added, turn the mixer up to medium speed and whisk for roughly 6 minutes until the meringue reaches stiff peaks. The meringue should stand tall with no curl. Test that the sugar has fully dissolved by rubbing a bit of the meringue between your fingertips, it should feel smooth and not grainy. If it feels grainy, continue to whisk for another minute.
- Add the white wine vinegar and whisk into the meringue.
- Sift the cocoa powder into the bowl, and very gently fold it into the meringue using a large metal spoon or silicone spatula. You want to avoid folding too many times otherwise all the air will be knocked out, you also want to create a swirly pattern so only fold 4-5 times.
- Spoon the meringue onto the baking tray, making a tall mound of meringue in the middle of the circle you have drawn. TIP: dab the corners of the baking tray with meringue to stick the greaseproof paper down.
- Use the back of a spoon to shape the meringue into a round shape, making a crater in the middle to hold the filling.
- Place on the middle shelf of the oven and immediately turn the temperature down to 130°C (fan). Bake for 80 minutes.
- Turn the oven off and leave the door closed. Let the pavlova cool completely inside the oven for at least 4 hours or overnight for best results. Do not open the oven door during this time otherwise the pavlova will crack.
Decorate the pavlova (just before you're ready to serve)
- Carefully peel the pavlova off the baking tray and place on a pretty serving platter or cake stand.
- Use an electric whisk to whisk the double cream until soft and thick (approx. 5 mins). Spoon into the middle of the pavlova.
- Drizzle the melted dark chocolate around the edge.
- Top with the fresh berries and few sprigs of mint.
- Serve straightway and enjoy!
Notes
Pavlova is best eaten straightaway, but it will keep in the fridge stored in an airtight container for up to 1 day.