Chocolate Pavlova

Yesterday was our friend Lloyd's birthday. I made this chocolate Pavlova instead of a traditional birthday cake. I also made home made ravioli stuffed with acorn squash and goat cheese filling and a wonderful wine smoked salmon that our dear friend Myrna sent us all the way from Winnipeg ( part of a scrumptious Christmas care package). More about the ravioli and what I did with the smoked salmon in another post. But dessert first.......

Pavlova is a clear winner in my books. It is easy to make, looks simply fabulous, it tastes great and you look like a star!! (I have also made mini cardamom pavlova here
It is also handy to have in your dessert repertoire this time of year when people are trying to be virtuous about what they eat...you know new year resolutions and all (but still there is a tonne of cream that makes the topping)

This recipe is from Nigella Lawson's Forever Summer cookbook. It is really good - you will not regret it.



Chocolate Raspberry Pavlova
I used balsamic vinegar as suggested by the recipe. You could substitute it with red wine vinegar. I added 1/4 teaspoon of instant coffee into the batter. You will not really taste it but it somehow intensifies the flavour of the chocolaty goodness. I used organic bittersweet chocolate for both the meringue and the topping - use the chocolate that you like to snack on.
Don't be alarmed when little cracks appear on the meringue.

meringue
6 egg whites
1 cup sugar
3 Tb cocoa powder
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 oz bittersweet chocolate - finely chopped
1/4 tsp instant coffee

topping
2 1/4 cups heavy cream
1 pint of raspberries
4 Tb chopped bittersweet chocolate

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with silicone mat or parchment paper.
Beat egg whites until stiff peak forms. Add sugar a tablespoon at a time until mixture gets shiny. Sprinkle sifted cocoa powder, vinegar, instant coffee and chopped chocolate. Fold mixture gently until well combined.

Pour stiff mixture onto the silicone mat or parchment paper around nine inches diameter. Smooth out meringue and place in the oven. Immediately reduce heat to 300 degrees. Bake for one hour and 15 minutes. Turn off oven. The book suggest you leave the oven door slightly ajar while the meringue cools completely in order to dry it. I skipped this step because I needed the oven space. And it turned out fine. Cool completely.

Make the topping when you are getting ready to serve the dessert course or you could do what I did. I completed pavlova an hour before we sat for dinner - so you could make this a bit ahead if you wish.

Whip cream till thick and spreadable. I added one tablespoon of amaretto that was sitting on the counter to the cream - I just could not resist! Pile it on the chocolate meringue base. Top with luscious raspberries and chopped bittersweet chocolate. The verdict - Lloyd had 3 servings!