Chocolate Berry Pavlova

My sister made this stunning dessert as part of my 60th Birthday celebration meal. When I'm in England I'm a mid-summer baby and in Australia a mid-winter baby, so you'll easily guess where I turned 60 from the raspberries adorning the whipped cream!

This was originally a Nigella Lawson recipe.

INGREDIENTS

Pavlova
6 x egg whites from medium 59gm eggs
pinch salt
300gm caster sugar
2Tbsp + 1 tsp Dutch cocoa
1tsp white wine vinegar
50gm dark chocolate

Topping
500ml thickened cream
500gm raspberries
40gm dark chocolate extra (optional)
mint springs (optional)

COOKS NOTES

• This makes a large dessert enough for a crowd.
• Any berries are great on top, or use mango or banana and chopped nuts or stonefruit when in season, with the chocolate meringue.
• Use Callebaut Callet buttons in the pavlova and there's no need to chop as they are small, just fold in whole. If using a bar of chocolate, roughly chop.
• Dust raspberries with icing sugar if preferred to chopped chocolate.
• A pizza tray is a great baking tray to use for shaping the pavlova as it's circular.
• Make the day before serving and leave at room temperature, until ready to use. I find placing the whole thing, tray and all into a large plastic shopping bag is easier than trying to cover with plastic wrap.

METHOD

1. Pre-heat oven to 180C.
2. Line a large baking tin with non-stick baking paper.
3. Place egg whites in mixer bowl fitted with a balloon whisk. Add salt and on medium speed, whisk for a couple of minutes, until whites start to foam. Increase speed and whisk for a further couple of minutes until stiff peaks form. Add caster sugar a couple of tablespoons at a time and whisk for a minute after each addition.
4. Meanwhile, roughly chop the chocolate (if not using buttons) for topping.
5. Once all sugar has been added, the meringue will be shiny and stiff. Taste to check sugar has completely dissolved and there's no gritty texture (if sugar can still be detected whisk for a further minute or so).
6. Sieve cocoa over meringue and throw in chopped chocolate. fold in briefly using large metal spoon.
7. Scrape meringue onto prepared baking tray and using a spatula, shape into a 28cm disc with straight-ish sides.
8. Place in oven, turn down temperature to 150C and bake for about 1 hour, until dry and firm on the surface. Turn oven off and open door, leave pavlova to cool completely.
9. A few hours before serving place pavlova on serving plate.
10. Whisk cream so it just holds it's shape and dollop onto meringue surface.
11. Scatter over berries and top with mint sprigs. Grate over chocolate if using.
12. Can be refrigerated for up to 6 hours before serving.