There are some recipes that make you want to try them the first time you read them or watch them on TV. That is exactly what happened when I saw Nigella Lawson prepare this recipe on one of her TV shows. I simply love the way she describes her food, ingredients and the final product. This recipe is also an attempt try things out of my comfort zone that I have not tried in the past. I have made a few desserts involving the extensive use of egg whites like the angel cake and the meringue topping for this pie. And I wanted to add this to the repertoire as well.
The dessert recipe is adapted from this recipe by Nigella Lawson. I give her full credit for a fabulous recipe - its is easy to make and the end result is fantastic. If you'd like to keep the fat content of the recipe lower, you can also use fat free cool whip instead of whipping cream. Raspberries add a wonderful contrast to the sweetness of the pavlova and the richness of the whipping cream. I did make come changes to the original recipe. I added some cream of tartar to the egg whites before I whipped them. I also cut the cream into half of what was recommended. One cup of whipped cream was enough for us :) I also skipped the dark chocolate on the top of the finished dessert.
The most important part of the recipe is working well with the egg whites. I have some tips here on getting egg whites right.
- Allow the eggs to warm up to room temperature before separating the whites and yolks.
- Make sure the bowl and beaters are well cleaned and devoid of any traces of fat.
- Dilute some white vinegar with water (1:2 ratio). Dip a paper towel in the vinegar water mixture and use it to wipe the inside of the bowl and the wires of the beater that will be used to whip the egg whites.
Ingredients:
For the chocolate meringue base
6 large egg whites
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 ½ cups superfine sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa (sieved)
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
2 oz bittersweet chocolate (finely chopped)
For the topping
1 cup heavy cream
2 pints fresh raspberries
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350ºF and line a baking tray with baking parchment. Draw a 9 inch circle on the parchment.
2. Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar 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.
3. Mound on to a baking sheet in a fat circle 9 inches in diameter, smoothing the sides and top.
4. Place in the oven, then immediately turn the temperature down to 150°C/300ºF and cook 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 squidgy on the inside. Turn off the oven and open the door slightly, and let the chocolate meringue disc cool completely.
5. When you're ready to serve, invert on to a big, flat-bottomed plate. Whisk the cream till thick but still soft and pile it on top of the meringue, then scatter over the raspberries.
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