Best 4 Nigella Lawson Chocolate Pavlova Recipes

NIGELLA LAWSON'S CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY PAVLOVA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan160°C/gas 4 and line a baking tray with baking paper. Beat the egg whites until satiny peaks form, then beat in the sugar, a large spoonful at a time, until the meringue is stiff and shiny. Add the cocoa, vinegar and chopped chocolate, then gently fold until the cocoa is thoroughly mixed in. Mound onto a lined baking sheet in a fat circle about 25cm in diameter, smoothing the sides and top. Place in the oven, then immediately reduce the temperature to 150°C/fan130°C/gas 2 and cook for 1-1¼ hours.
• When the meringue is ready it should look crisp around the edges and sides, and be dry on top, but when you prod the centre you should feel the promise of squidginess. Turn off the oven and open the door slightly, then let the chocolate meringue disc cool completely.
• When you're ready to serve, lift onto a large, flat-bottomed plate. Whisk the cream until thick but still soft, pile it on top of the meringue, then scatter over the raspberries. Sprinkle the fruit haphazardly over the top, letting some fall, as they will, on the plate's rim. Sprinkle over the grated chocolate to serve.

CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY PAVLOVA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/gas mark 4/350ºF and line a baking tray with baking parchment. Beat the egg whites 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. 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/130°C Fan/gas mark 2/300ºF 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 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, 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. Coarsely grate the chocolate so that you get curls rather than rubble, as you don't want the raspberries' luscious colour and form to be obscured, and sprinkle haphazardly over the top, letting some fall, as it will, on the plate's rim.

CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY PAVLOVA

Steps:

• Prepare the pan: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment. Draw a 9-inch-diameter circle on the paper with a pencil, tracing a round cake tin that size.
• Flip the paper over so your meringue doesn't touch the pencil marks - you'll still be able to see the circle.
• Make the meringue: Beat the egg whites with a mixer until satiny peaks form, and then beat in the sugar a spoonful at a time until the meringue is stiff and shiny.
• Add the chocolate: Sprinkle the cocoa, vinegar and then the chopped chocolate over the egg whites. Gently fold everything with a rubber spatula until the cocoa is thoroughly mixed in.
• Shape the meringue: Secure the parchment to the baking sheet with a dab of meringue under each corner. Mound the meringue onto the parchment within the circle, smoothing the sides and the top with a spatula.
• Bake the meringue: Place in the oven, then immediately turn the temperature down to 300 degrees F and cook for one to one and a quarter hours. When it's ready, it should look crisp and dry on top, but when you prod the center you should feel the promise of squidginess beneath your fingers.
• Let it cool: Turn off the oven and open the door slightly; let the chocolate meringue disk cool completely in the oven. When you'reready to serve, invert onto a big flatbottomed plate and peel off the parchment.
• Decorate the Pavlova: Whisk the cream till thick but still soft and pile it on top of the meringue, then scatter the raspberries on top. Coarsely grate the chocolate haphazardly over the top so that you get curls of chocolate rather than rubble, as you don't want the raspberries' luscious color and form to be obscured. You want the Pavlova to look like a frosted cake.

PRODIGIOUS PAVLOVA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment and draw a rough 25cm diameter circle on it; I pencil round a cake tin that size. Whisk the egg whites until satiny peaks form, then whisk in the sugar, a table-spoonful at a time, until the meringue is stiff and shiny. Sprinkle the cornflour, vinegar and vanilla extract over the egg white, and fold in lightly with a metal spoon. Mound the meringue on to the baking parchment within the circle and, using a spatula, flatten the top and smooth the sides. Put in the oven and immediately reduce the heat to 120°C/gas mark 1/2. Cook for an hour. Then turn off the oven and leave to cool completely. Once it's cool, take the meringue disc out - and you can keep it in an airtight container for a couple of days or freeze for a month. When you are ready to assemble the pavlova, invert the cooled meringue disc onto a large plate or a stand you can serve it on, and peel off the baking parchment. Whip the cream until thickened but still soft, and pile onto the meringue - on the squidgy part that was stuck to the baking parchment - spreading it to the edges in a swirly fashion. Cut the passionfruit in half, and scoop out the seeds, and any pulp and juice, into a bowl. Peel the fresh lychees (if using) over the bowl to catch any juice, then remove the stones, tear the lychees into pieces and let them drop into the passionfruit. Tear the drained, canned lychees (if using) likewise, and drop them in, too. Leave the passionfruit and lychees sitting in their bowl for a moment, while you liquidize the raspberries with the icing sugar in a blender. Dollop the cream-topped pavlova with the passionfruit and lychees, and their juices, then zig-zag some red, red, red raspberry sauce over the top, putting the rest in a small jug for people to add to their slices as they eat. Make ahead tip: Make the meringue disc and store in a deep airtight container for up to 2 days. About 3-4 hours before serving, top with whipped cream and keep in the fridge. Just before serving, add the fruits and raspberry sauce. Freeze ahead tip: Make and freeze the meringue disc for up to 1 month. Thaw in a cool room and finish as recipe.