Chocolate Raspberry Pavlova

For me one of the best parts of the holiday season is the desserts; and few desserts can top a fluffy rich pavlova. This recipe is from one of my favorite cookbooks Nigella Lawson’s Forever Summer. The pavlova is flavored with cocoa and bittersweet chocolate chips, topped with a generous pile of raspberries and sweet whipped cream. Drool! I’ve made this many times over and its definitely a crowd pleaser especially when its paired with an Asti. I like to bake it in a pie plate to make sure that the meringue gets enough height to create a nice amount of sponge in the middle. It also makes serving easy.

Chocolate Raspberry Pavlova

from Nigella Lawson’s Forever Summer

6 egg whites

1 cup of sugar

3 tbsp cocoa powder

1 tspn red wine vinegar

Fist full (2-4 oz) of chocolate chips or chopped bits

1 pint of heavy cream

1 pint of raspberries (other possible toppings: caramel, strawberries, toasted almonds, pecans)

Solid chocolate for shaving (optional)

Preheat oven at 350 F

1. Whip up egg whites until satin peaks form

2. Whip in sugar 1-2 spoons at a time until they form stiff peaks

3. Sift cocoa into whites and fold in

4. Fold in vinegar and chips

5. Pile meringue into pie plate or onto baking sheet form a 3 inch high round

6. Place in oven and bake at 300 F for 1 hr. Watch it fluff up….mmmm…so good.

7. Whip heavy whipping cream in a bowl (can add optional flavoring, like tspn of vanilla with a tbsp of sugar, hazelnut liquor, amaretto liquor, raspberry liquor, grand marnier, etc.) until forms stiff peaks.

8. Pour whipped cream onto pavlova and top with a heap of raspberries. Add shavings of chocolate if you are really gluttonous like we are.