Possibly our favourite jam dessert yet! This recipe shows you how to make a show-stopping Black Forest chocolate pavlova, which is much simpler than it looks. Swirl chocolate into meringue to create the pavlovas, then top with whipped cream and our Morello Cherry Preserve for the finishing touch. Our Morello Cherry Preserve is packed full of cherries, and balances the sweet meringue perfectly.
Ingredients:
For the Meringues:
1/2 tsp vinegar or lemon juice
3 large free-range egg whites
180g caster sugar
1 tsp cornflour
100g bar dark chocolate, we used 70%
For the Pavlovas:
600ml double cream
You will also need:
Stand mixer with balloon whisk attachment
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 1.
2. First, clean the bowl of the stand mixer with a little vinegar or lemon juice and paper towel, ensuring no vinegar residue or dirt remains in the bowl. Place the egg whites in the bowl and whisk on medium-high speed until white, stiff peaks are achieved.
3. Measure the sugar and cornflour into a bowl and stir to combine, ensuring there are no lumps. With the stand mixer on medium speed, gradually add in the sugar mixture, one spoonful at a time, until all the sugar is incorporated. The mixture wants to look glossy, feel grain-free and hold strong peaks.
4. Gently melt 25g dark chocolate in the microwave in 30 second burst, stirring well between bursts. Once fully melted, allow to cool for 1 minute before gently folding through the meringue mixture. Don’t over mix, you just want the melted chocolate to ripple through the meringue.
5. Line a large, flat baking tray with baking paper and spoon 8 equal piles of meringue mixture ensuring space between each pile (you may need to use 2 trays). Using the back of the spoon, create a small bevel in the middle of the meringue pile to create a meringue nest shape.
6. Place the meringue in the oven for 35 - 40 minutes to gently cook. The oven is ready to be turned off when the meringues cleanly pull away from the paper - give a little extra time in the oven if they still appear to be sticky. Turn oven off and wedge open the oven door with a wooden spoon. Allow the meringues to fully cool and dry out in the oven - this will take a couple of hours.
7. In the meantime, whisk the double cream to soft peaks and grate or roughly chop the remaining chocolate into small shards.
8. To assemble simply spoon the whipped cream into the cooled meringues nests. Top generously with a couple of spoons of Morello Cherry Preserve and finish with a sprinkling of dark chocolate. Serve immediately.
Cook's Notes:
- The meringues can be made up to 5 days in advance and kept in a dry, air-tight container. Simply whip your cream, grate your chocolate and pop your preserve when ready to assemble.
- For a boozy, festive twist, add a cap of Irish cream to the cream before whipping - naught but nice!
- For a little added crunch, try crumbling up almond biscuits and sprinkling over the top of the meringue along with the dark chocolate.
