Chocolate pavlova with a Coffee Kahlua cream , cherries and chocolate drizzle...
It's like biting into a crispy cloud that gives way to a marshmallowy centre...and the contrasting textures..tang of the strawberries..sweetness of cherries..that burst of Choco from shavings and Choco chips...oh and that breath taking cream topping...the coffee Kahlua cream simply cuts the chocolatey richness and totally makes this easy dessert special!
Recipe :
Ingredients:
Ingredients:
For the chocolate meringue base:
6 large egg whites
300 grams caster sugar
3 tablespoons good quality cocoa powder (sieved)
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
50 grams dark chocolate (finely chopped)
For the topping:
250ml double cream
Few strawberries
Few cherries( pitted)
3 tablespoons dark chocolate (coarsely grated)
1 Tbs sugar
3 Tbs strong coffee, cooled
1 Tbs Kahlua, chilled, optional
Chocolate syrup for drizzle
Choco chips (semi sweet) 2 tbs
250ml double cream
Few strawberries
Few cherries( pitted)
3 tablespoons dark chocolate (coarsely grated)
1 Tbs sugar
3 Tbs strong coffee, cooled
1 Tbs Kahlua, chilled, optional
Chocolate syrup for drizzle
Choco chips (semi sweet) 2 tbs
Method:
Separate the egg whites carefully so that not even a drop of yolk goes through.
Place in a really clean n totally dry bowl.
Beat the egg whites until satiny peaks form.add the balsamic vinegar.
beat in the sugar a spoonful at a time until the meringue is stiff and shiny.
Preheat oven to 180C.
Sprinkle over the cocoa powder.
Then gently fold everything until the cocoa is thoroughly mixed in.
Mound on to a baking sheet in a fat circle approximately 23cm / 9 inches in diameter, smoothing the sides and top. Place in the oven, then immediately turn the temperature down to 150°C/gas mark 2/300ºF and bake 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 when you prod the centre you should feel the promise of squidginess beneath your fingers.
Turn off the oven and open the door slightly, and let the chocolate meringue disc cool completely.
When you're ready to serve,remove on to a big, flat-bottomed plate.
Whip the cream with 1 Tbs sugar until soft peaks, then whip to stiff (but not too far or it will split)
Fold the coffee and kahlua into the whipped cream.
and pile it on top of the meringue, then scatter over the cherries and strawberries. Scatter the choco chips.
Coarsely grate the chocolate so that you get curls rather than rubble, as you don't want the cherries' luscious colour and form to be obscured, and sprinkle haphazardly over the top.
For the final touch...drizzle on some chocolate syrup..I used Hershey's.
Chocolate shavings
Using a vegetable peeler, peel the sides of the chocolate blocks. Set aside in a cool dry area until needed. NOTE: do not store in fridge.
Place in a really clean n totally dry bowl.
Beat the egg whites until satiny peaks form.add the balsamic vinegar.
beat in the sugar a spoonful at a time until the meringue is stiff and shiny.
Preheat oven to 180C.
Sprinkle over the cocoa powder.
Then gently fold everything until the cocoa is thoroughly mixed in.
Mound on to a baking sheet in a fat circle approximately 23cm / 9 inches in diameter, smoothing the sides and top. Place in the oven, then immediately turn the temperature down to 150°C/gas mark 2/300ºF and bake 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 when you prod the centre you should feel the promise of squidginess beneath your fingers.
Turn off the oven and open the door slightly, and let the chocolate meringue disc cool completely.
When you're ready to serve,remove on to a big, flat-bottomed plate.
Whip the cream with 1 Tbs sugar until soft peaks, then whip to stiff (but not too far or it will split)
Fold the coffee and kahlua into the whipped cream.
and pile it on top of the meringue, then scatter over the cherries and strawberries. Scatter the choco chips.
Coarsely grate the chocolate so that you get curls rather than rubble, as you don't want the cherries' luscious colour and form to be obscured, and sprinkle haphazardly over the top.
For the final touch...drizzle on some chocolate syrup..I used Hershey's.
Chocolate shavings
Using a vegetable peeler, peel the sides of the chocolate blocks. Set aside in a cool dry area until needed. NOTE: do not store in fridge.
Assembly:
Carefully remove parchment paper from the bottom of the pavlova and set onto a serving platter. Spoon whipped cream over the top of the pavlova. Garnish with whole cherries n strawberries..Drizzle chocolate sauce/ganache. Evenly sprinkle chocolate shavings.
Carefully remove parchment paper from the bottom of the pavlova and set onto a serving platter. Spoon whipped cream over the top of the pavlova. Garnish with whole cherries n strawberries..Drizzle chocolate sauce/ganache. Evenly sprinkle chocolate shavings.
Notes:
1. Meringue recipes work better with eggs that are at least 3 or 4 days old
2.To separate an egg: Crack the egg and hold the shell halves over a bowl. Transfer the yolk back and forth between the halves, letting the white drop into the bowl.or use an egg separator
3. The tiniest bit of fat or egg yolk will wreck a meringue, as fat interferes with the formation of good foam. When separating eggs, if a speck of egg yolk falls into the egg whites, lift it out with an empty eggshell half. Do not try to fish it out with your fingers; the oil on your skin will prevent the egg whites from expanding.
4. Room Temperature: After separating, bring egg whites to room temperature to ensure volume when beating (as warmer eggs whip faster than cold eggs). Egg whites right out of the refrigerator will not whip well. The ideal temperature to whip a common meringue is room temp. Usually 30 minutes is adequate to obtain room temperature.
5. Copper, stainless-steel, or glass bowls work best for making meringues. Avoid using plastic bowls for whipping egg whites. 6. 6. Whichever type of bowl you use, be sure it is spotlessly clean. Make sure that all your utensils are immaculately clean, completely grease-free, dry.
7. As a general rule, add a total of 1/4 cup of granulated or superfine sugar for each egg white. Do not make meringues that have less than 2 tablespoons of sugar per egg white. If you use any less, the foam will not set and the meringue will shrink.
8. To tell if the sugar is dissolved when you are beating egg whites for meringues, rub a bit of the foam between your fingers. If it feels gritty, the sugar is not dissolved, so keep beating for a few minutes. It should feel completely smooth when the sugar is dissolved.
9. For soft peaks - Place egg whites in a clean glass or metal bowl (not plastic), and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed or with a rotary beater until egg whites form peaks with tips that curl over when the beaters are lifted.
For stiff peaks, continue beating egg whites on high speed until they form peaks with tips that stand straight when the beaters are lifted.
10.Once you start a making whipped egg whites, continue it straight through and finish it off. Do not stop halfway to take a break. The meringue is done when it is not runny and when you can hold a spoonful of it upside down and none of it drops off. Also when you swirl a spoon through it and the swirls hold their shape indefinitely.
11. Never open the oven door while its baking.
12. I always use a chilled bowl to whip cream.
http://thenovicegardener.wordpress.com/http://www.adishofdailylife.com/
1. Meringue recipes work better with eggs that are at least 3 or 4 days old
2.To separate an egg: Crack the egg and hold the shell halves over a bowl. Transfer the yolk back and forth between the halves, letting the white drop into the bowl.or use an egg separator
3. The tiniest bit of fat or egg yolk will wreck a meringue, as fat interferes with the formation of good foam. When separating eggs, if a speck of egg yolk falls into the egg whites, lift it out with an empty eggshell half. Do not try to fish it out with your fingers; the oil on your skin will prevent the egg whites from expanding.
4. Room Temperature: After separating, bring egg whites to room temperature to ensure volume when beating (as warmer eggs whip faster than cold eggs). Egg whites right out of the refrigerator will not whip well. The ideal temperature to whip a common meringue is room temp. Usually 30 minutes is adequate to obtain room temperature.
5. Copper, stainless-steel, or glass bowls work best for making meringues. Avoid using plastic bowls for whipping egg whites. 6. 6. Whichever type of bowl you use, be sure it is spotlessly clean. Make sure that all your utensils are immaculately clean, completely grease-free, dry.
7. As a general rule, add a total of 1/4 cup of granulated or superfine sugar for each egg white. Do not make meringues that have less than 2 tablespoons of sugar per egg white. If you use any less, the foam will not set and the meringue will shrink.
8. To tell if the sugar is dissolved when you are beating egg whites for meringues, rub a bit of the foam between your fingers. If it feels gritty, the sugar is not dissolved, so keep beating for a few minutes. It should feel completely smooth when the sugar is dissolved.
9. For soft peaks - Place egg whites in a clean glass or metal bowl (not plastic), and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed or with a rotary beater until egg whites form peaks with tips that curl over when the beaters are lifted.
For stiff peaks, continue beating egg whites on high speed until they form peaks with tips that stand straight when the beaters are lifted.
10.Once you start a making whipped egg whites, continue it straight through and finish it off. Do not stop halfway to take a break. The meringue is done when it is not runny and when you can hold a spoonful of it upside down and none of it drops off. Also when you swirl a spoon through it and the swirls hold their shape indefinitely.
11. Never open the oven door while its baking.
12. I always use a chilled bowl to whip cream.
http://thenovicegardener.wordpress.com/http://www.adishofdailylife.com/
ENJOY!
Love,
S
Love,
S
