Chocolate Swirl Pavlova with Cherries & Cream
Photo by Nea Arentzen
- Serves
- 8 - 10
- Prep Time
- 10 Minutes
- Cook Time
- 3 Hours
Pavlovas are one of my favorite things to not only bake, but more importantly eat and serve. They’re always a showstopper on the dessert table, and while you’ll have to account for a few hours of baking and cooling time, they don’t require many steps. For this recipe, I swirled a light dusting of cocoa powder into the meringue, and decorated it with unsweetened whipped cream, halved and whole cherries, and shaved chocolate. It’s delicate and crunchy on the outside, and soft and almost marshmallow-like on the inside.
Ingredients
French Meringue
- 6 (180 grams) egg whites
- 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
- A pinch of Diamond kosher crystal salt
- 1 1/2 cup (300 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (28 grams) cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoon cocoa powder, divided
To Assemble
- 2 cup (454 grams) heavy cream, whipped
- 1 cup halved cherries, pits removed
- 6 to 8 whole cherries with stems on
- 1 ounce (or 1 square) semi-sweet or dark chocolate, for shaving
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Directions
Instructions
- Step 1
Preheat the oven to 250ºF and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl combine the egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar. Use an electric mixer and beat until foamy. With the mixer running, slowly pour in the granulated sugar. Beat on high speed until very stiff peaks form, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Step 2
Sift the cornstarch into the egg whites (this makes it easier to evenly fold in), then beat to combine, another minute. Fold in the vanilla and vinegar until just combined.
- Step 3
Sift some of the cocoa powder over the egg white, then fold only a few times to swirl it in. Add more cocoa powder as needed.
- Step 4
Dollop the meringue into a 10-inch circle on a parchment lined baking sheet. Use an offset spatula to shape into a dome with a flat surface. If you want, you can drag the spatula up the sides from bottom to top to create a pattern along the sides. Bake without opening the oven door for 1 hour and 45 minutes. Turn the oven off and prop the door open slightly; let the meringue cool in the oven, about 1 hour (this will help prevent cracking and make it easier to transfer).
- Step 5
Transfer the meringue to a cake stand or serving platter, then use a spoon to very gently crack the surface, creating somewhat of a hole for the toppings to sit in. Fill with whipped cream; top with halved cherries and shave chocolate all over. Finish with the whole cherries.