This decadent chewy chocolate pavlova will be a show stopper on your Easter table.
Ingredients:
- 6 large eggs whites, at room temperature
- A pinch of fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon corn flour
- 1 2/3 cup/ 300g sugar
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 3 cups of fresh cream, whipped
- Fresh cherries
- 300g of the best quality dark chocolate you can afford.
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 135 C. Line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Using an electric mixer, whip the egg whites in a very clean bowl (make sure the bowl is free of any trace of oil) until they hold medium peaks. Add the salt and whip, adding the corn flour and then sugar 2 tablespoons at a time, until all of the sugar has been added, then continue to whip until the whites are stiff and glossy, 10 to 15 minutes total. Gently fold in the cocoa powder.
You want to make 2 meringues and you want to create nice swirls with the whites. With the help of two large spoons, spoon the egg whites onto the baking sheet; twirl one of the spoons around and finish off each meringue with a spiky peak. Dust some cocoa powder on top of each meringue and use a small fork to gently make a few more swirls.
Bake for 1 hour. Switch off the oven and leave the meringues in it, with the door slightly open for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack. The meringues are best served the same day.
Melt the chocolate over low heat in a double boiler with 100ml cream to make the ganache.
Beat the rest of the cream until it forms soft peaks.
Divide the cream in halve and fill the pavlova’s with halve of the cream sifting some cocoa powder over it. Place the other pavlova on top and top it with the rest of the cream and pour the ganache over. Finish with the cherries on top and garnish with some Easter eggs.
Recipe by Elmarie Berry – Elmarie Berry