Overview:
By: Antonia
Meal Type: Dessert
Cook time: 2 Hours 15 Minutes
Servings: 1 Meringue
A decadent pud that celebrates this wonderful summer berry! Easy to prepare the night before and 'throw' together as an impactful but simple dessert.
Black Forest Pavlova- Antonia's Pavlova with a twist (of booze!) - "A rather wicked dessert with a chewy chocolate meringue, kirsch-laced cream and fresh cherries. Don’t worry if the pavlova collapses or cracks when you add the cream and fruit – it will still look fantastic and taste delicious!"
This recipe is the perfect fit for our fits on runners baking tray or our heavy duty baking tray, you might also want a Pizza Peel to assist you in moving your fantastic meringues to their serving plater!
A luxurious recipe that has been scribed and tested by community member Antonia, who is a hard working mum with two boys. Her recipes are trialled in her much loved Aga range cooker and devoured by her family, allowing Antonia to provide accurate tips and advice on how to make the dishes a success! Go check her work out! She is a country girl, happily surrounded by an excitable Lab, her dear husband, two boys and the Cotswolds.
Ingredients:
For the meringue:
- 4 egg whites
- 200g golden caster sugar
- 1 tsp. cornflour
- 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
- 25g cocoa
- 50g finely chopped dark chocolate
To serve/dress your pud!:
- 300ml double cream
- 2 tbsp. kirsch
- 400g stoned cherries
- 20g dark chocolate
You may need...
Method:
1. Line a baking tray with a liner. Using an electric whisk or stand mixer, whisk the egg whites until stiff (but not dry). You should be able to turn the bowl upside down without the whites sliding out! Let us know if you try this!
2. Add the sugar a teaspoon at a time, whisking all the time, until you have a smooth, glossy meringue mixture.
3. Sift over the cocoa and add the cornflour, vinegar and chopped chocolate. Mix briefly to combine.
4. Spoon the meringue onto the lined baking tray: shape the mixture into a circular nest shape with the edges higher than the centre. I tend to do this by eye but you can draw round a plate onto greaseproof paper if you want a guide. You can also pipe the meringue if you are feeling fancy!
5. Place a grid shelfonto the floor of the roasting oven and the cold shelf onto the second runners. Slide the baking tray onto the grid shelf and cook for 5 minutes – just long enough for the very edge of the meringue to dry out. Transfer to the simmering oven and continue to cook for 1 hour 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and sit the baking tray on top of the hot plate lids (with a chef pad or tea towel to protect the tops from scratches). Leave to dry out a little further for approx. 45 minutes. The pavlova can now be stored in an airtight container until required.
6. When ready to serve, lightly whip the cream into soft peaks and fold in the kirsch. Gently spread the inner part of the pavolva with the cream and top with the cherries. Finally, grate dark chocolate all over the top.
Antonia's tips on how to bake pavlova in an Aga range cooker:
- if you have a pizza paddle, it is the ideal implement for sliding the pavlova off the baking sheet and onto a serving platter.
- This recipe makes a meringue with a crisp exterior and a chewy, fudgy interior. If you prefer a ‘drier’ meringue, you can leave it on the tops overnight (or in the warming oven, if you have a 4-oven Aga).
Chef's Notes - "When making meringue, it is vital that all equipment is scrupulously clean. Any trace of grease in the bowl will prevent the egg whites from whisking properly. Stoning cherries can be a bore! I find the easiest method is to use the thin end of a chopstick. Remove the stalk and push the chopstick through the cherry from the stalk side – nine times out of ten, the stone will be pushed out of the other side. It is quite a messy job so do wear an apron and protect the work surfaces! Pavlova is best eaten straight away – once the cream has been added, the meringue starts to soften. The meringue keeps well in an airtight container so can be made in advance."