Pavlova
Filed under: Recipes
Pavlova is one of those deserts I associate with my childhood summers. One of our nanny’s used to bake the most wonderful creations, filled with what my brother and I considered to be the epitomy of poshness– papaya, mangoes and kiwi fruit. Yesterday waking up the sun streaming between the blinds I knew it was a Pavlova day and leapt out of bed to search out a recipe.
It didn’t take long before I found one staring at me alluringly from Nigella Lawson’s excellent cookbook ‘Forever Summer’. Her recipe deviates slightly from the norm by her inclusion of chocolate, which in my book is always a welcome addition. As luck would have it a new chocolatier, Paul Young, has recently taken up residence in a small shop, in Camden Passage, round the corner from my apartment. It is homage to all things chocolate and I have been spending a little too much time there scoffing down his award winning sea salt caramels. For the purposes of the pavlova however he recommended using Valhrona dark chocolate 66% cocoa content, you can use one with a higher cocoa content if you desire.
The topping is also a matter of personal preference. To be honest you can stick most types of fruit on top. Nigella uses raspberries however they had run out at the local supermarket so I was forced to use strawberries and blueberries instead.
I’m not really a great baker so I was frankly rather relieved that this turned out so well. The meringue retained a crunch on the outside and a gooeyness within and the chocolate gave it an added depth and flavour.
After lovingly decorating the top of it with the strawberries and blueberries, I took it outside onto my balcony to photograph. I then rushed back inside to answer my telephone and when I returned found my naughty puppy up on a chair licking the side of it. You can imagine how mortified I was, thankfully however half of it was salvageable.
Serves 8 - 10
Meringue base
6 egg whites
300g caster sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa powder, sieved (I used Green&Blacks)
1 teaspoon balsamic or red wine vinegar
50g dark chocolate, finely chopped
For the topping
500ml double cream
500g raspberries
2-3 tablespoons coarsely grated dark chocolate
Preheat the oven to 180C and line a baking tray with parchment
Beat the egg whites until satiny peaks form, and then 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. Then gently fold everything until the cocoa is thoroughly mixed in. Mound on to a baking sheet in a fat circle approximately 23cm in diameter, smoothing down the sides and top. Place in the oven, then immediately turn the temperature down to 150C and coof 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 on top, but when you prod the centre you should feel the promise of squidginess beneath your fingers. Turn off the oven and open the door slightly, and let the chocolate meringue disc cool completely.
When your’re ready to serve, invert on a big flat bottomed plate. Whisk the cream until thick but still soft and pile it on top of the meringue, then scatter over the raspberries. Coarsely grate the chocolate so that you get curls rather than rubble, as you don’t want the raspberries luscious colour and form to be obscured, and sprinkle haphazardly over the top, letting some fall as it will on your plate’s rim.
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Yum! Love the dog picture, doesn’t this say something???
Comment by Bea at La Tartine Gourmande 04.27.06 @ 1:12 pmThat dog been done caught in the act! Excellent picture. And the cake looks delicious. Even with some canine slobber. I may have to try that recipe. And keep my dog far, far away.
Comment by Moose 04.27.06 @ 11:21 pmThere is so much to love here: the pavlova, the writing, and yes … even the adorable puppy eating your masterpiece.
I’m so glad you posted Nigella’s recipe. It’s divine. She also makes one from Nnigella Bites which she tops with papaya.
Swoon!
Comment by Ivonne 04.28.06 @ 3:48 amPavlova always brings back good memories for me too — it was one of the first things my wife ever made for me, and she did it because she knew I loved the pavlova at the restaurant across the street from her apartment.
As the owner of a curious food loving dog, I’m quite amused by the photo of your puppy indulging.
Comment by rob 04.28.06 @ 4:15 amIncidentally I also made this very same recipe on Saturday for a friend. Even though I was never a fan ( for no particular reason) this recipe just won me over. I blame it on the chocolate element on top.
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looks very pretty - fruit looks amazing.
Bad Bear!
Comment by Gisellabelle 04.27.06 @ 9:32 am