This summer chocolate pavlova recipe by Nigella Lawson is nothing but scrumptious. It is very simple to make, even for the most inexperienced of chefs.
Ingredients
For the meringue
- 6 large egg whites
- 300 grams caster sugar
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder (sieved)
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
- 50 grams dark chocolate (finely chopped)
Fo the topping
- 500 millilitres double cream
- 500 grams raspberries
- 3 tablespoons dark chocolate (coarsely grated)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a baking tray with baking parchment.
- Beat the egg whites. Once stiff, peaks have formed, beat in the sugar a spoonful at a time, until the meringue is stiff and shiny.
- Sprinkle over the cocoa and vinegar, and the chopped chocolate and gently fold everything until the cocoa is thoroughly mixed in.
- Mound on to a baking sheet in a fat circle approximately 23cm/9 inches in diameter, smoothing the sides and top.
- Place in the oven, then immediately turn the temperature down to 150°C and cook for about one to one and a quarter hours. When it's ready it should look crisp around the edges and on the sides and be dry and spongy on the top when you prod the top centre with your fingers.
- Turn off the oven and open the door slightly in order to allow the chocolate meringue disc to cool completely. You can also leave overnight.
- When you're ready to serve, invert on to a big, flat-bottomed plate and whisk the cream until it is thick but still soft and pile it on top of the meringue. For decoration, scatter over the raspberries and coarsely grated chocolate. The chocolate should be curls rather than rubble, as you don't want the raspberries' luscious colour and form to be obscured. Sprinkle haphazardly over the top, letting some fall onto the plate's rim.