Chocolate Pavlova
Description
Elegant perfectly describes this crisp-on-the outside, marshmallow-soft-on-the-inside puff, crowned luxuriously with cream, strawberries and a drizzle of bittersweet chocolate.
Ingredients
•
6 egg whites
•
1/4 teaspoon salt
•
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
•
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
•
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
•
2 teaspoons cornstarch
•
1 tablespoon vinegar
•
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
•
2 (1 ounce) squares bittersweet chocolate, melted
•
3 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
•
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
•
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
•
1 (1 ounce) square bittersweet chocolate, melted
Directions
1
Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C).
2
Beat together egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar to soft peaks in a large bowl. Beat in sugar, about three tablespoons at a time, until stiff and glossy peaks form. Sift cocoa and cornstarch over egg whites, and gently fold in. Gently fold in vinegar, vanilla, and melted chocolate.
3
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and spread the meringue into an eight inch circle. Bake in the center of the oven for 1 1/2 hours until the outside is crispy and the center is soft. Using a metal spatula, loosen the meringue from the parchment paper, and remove to cool on a wire rack. Allow to cool completely, about one hour.
4
Whip cream with the sugar, and spread over the meringue. Arrange strawberries decoratively over the top, and drizzle with chocolate.