Nigella's Chocolate Pavlova

Mmmmmm, that's exactly how I remember this Pavlova. My fans on Facebook and G+ have already seen it and got to swoon along with me. Now it's time for the recipe, although I'm sure many of you already know it, because it's not just anybody's recipe :)

Nigella's Chocolate Pavlova

I had never made a Pavlova before and approached it with some trepidation, but once I got to eat a piece, then a second, then a third (oooopsss), I was so glad I had finally made it.

From what I've been able to observe, there are two camps: fans of white Pavlova and fans of chocolate Pavlova. I've never had the white one, but I'm all in for the chocolate one, and that's thanks to its moist, chewy meringue. I love it! During baking the meringue spread out quite a lot and cracked, but I remembered that on her show, when Nigella baked it, she wasn't exactly gentle with the meringue and said not to worry about the cracks. So that's what I did, and I got right to whipping the cream, decorating, and, of course, tasting :)

Nigella's Chocolate Pavlova

If you've never made a Pavlova, don't wait. This weekend will be perfect for it! Remember that you can make part of it (the meringue) ahead of time, and the rest only takes a moment. You can use different fruits: raspberries, strawberries, currants, blueberries. I used raspberries and blueberries, and that combination is my favorite.

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and trace a circle about 23 cm in diameter on it, using the ring from a springform pan. Flip the paper over and place it back on the baking sheet.

Chop the chocolate very finely or grate it.

Make the meringue:

Beat the egg whites until glossy, then, while still beating, add the sugar one spoonful at a time until the whites are stiff and shiny. Add the chocolate, cocoa and vinegar and fold everything together very gently, only until it's all combined.

Put a few dabs of meringue under the parchment so the paper stays put on the baking sheet during baking. Spread the meringue onto the traced circle, smoothing the edges and the top with a spatula (if it sticks, you can dip the spatula in warm water).

Put the meringue in the oven and immediately lower the temperature to 150°C (300°F). Bake for 60-75 minutes. A well-baked meringue should be dry and crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. Turn off the oven, leave the door slightly ajar and let the meringue cool inside. Once it has cooled completely, flip the meringue upside down onto a plate and carefully peel off the paper.

Whip the cream until it's very thick, but not completely stiff. Spoon it over the meringue, decorate with the fruit and sprinkle with a little grated chocolate.

Enjoy!

I found the recipe HERE. I used the translation by bajaderka, who shared it on the forum.