Mini Chocolate Pavlovas
Crispy on the outside, dense marshmallowy on the inside chocolate pavlovas.
Servings 5 mini pavlovas
Ingredients
Chocolate Pavlovas
- 4 large egg whites
- 200g or 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsps pure vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 ½ tablespoons dutch process cocoa
- raspberry curd optional topping
Whipped cream
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon granulated or brown sugar
- Pinch fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Fresh raspberries or strawberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Separate your eggs, ensuring that no yellow has gotten into the whites - the whites should be in a heatproof bowl. Set a pot filled ⅓ of the way with water over low heat and bring it to a simmer. The bottom of the bowl should not touch the water.
- Whisk the eggs with the sugar and set the bowl over the simmering water. Stir frequently, after a few minutes pinch some of the mix between your index and thumb - once you can’t detect or only detect very few sugar granules, remove it from the heat.
- Pour into the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Begin whisking on low, then work it up to medium speed. If you like an extra assurance, add a quarter teaspoon of cream of tartar.
- Whisk on medium speed and when you are close to stiff peaks, add the salt and vanilla then whisk to perfect stiff peaks (if you turn the whisk upside down, the meringue should hold shape). Add the starch and vinegar and whisk to combine.
- Sift the cocoa over the bowl and use a rubber spatula to fold it in: gently making large Js with the spatula. Don’t stir it, just gently fold over and over until there are no big clumps of cocoa.
- Dollop the meringue onto the pan in four domes (I like to use a 1/4 cup ice cream scoop to do this, each pavlova will have about 3/4 cups of meringue).
- Use an offset spatula to shape them into mini pavlovas, swirling them into shape and making a dip at the top (this is where the filling will go).
- Reduce the heat to 300 F and bake for 30 minutes, until the pavlovas are firm and will lift from the pan. Turn the oven off and leave them in for an hour.
- To make the whipped cream: add all the ingredients to a food processor and pulse until thick.
- Assembly: In the center of each pavlova, add a dollop of whipped cream then a spoonful of raspberry curd. Top with fresh raspberries and chocolate shavings (chocolate grated on a cheese grater). Serve immediately!