Chocolate Raspberry Pavlova
by Nigella. Featured in NIGELLA SUMMERIntroduction
You just cannot beat a pav in my book, and I glory in particular this dark beauty. The crisp and chewy chocolate meringue base, rich in cocoa and beaded nuggets of chopped plain chocolate, provides a sombre, almost purple-brown layer beneath the fat whiteness of the cream and matt, glowering crimson raspberries on top: it is a killer combination.
For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
You just cannot beat a pav in my book, and I glory in particular this dark beauty. The crisp and chewy chocolate meringue base, rich in cocoa and beaded nuggets of chopped plain chocolate, provides a sombre, almost purple-brown layer beneath the fat whiteness of the cream and matt, glowering crimson raspberries on top: it is a killer combination.
For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
Ingredients
Yields: 8-10 slices
For the Chocolate Meringue Base
- 6 large egg whites
- 300 grams caster sugar
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder (sieved)
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
- 50 grams dark chocolate (finely chopped)
For the Topping
- 500 millilitres double cream
- 500 grams raspberries
- 3 tablespoons dark chocolate (coarsely grated)
For the Chocolate Meringue Base
- 6 large egg whites
- 1½ cups superfine sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa (sieved)
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
- 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate (finely chopped)
For the Topping
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 pound raspberries
- 3 tablespoons bittersweet chocolate (coarsely grated)
Method
- 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.
- 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.
Additional Information
MAKE AHEAD / STORE:
The meringue base can be made 1 day ahead. Store in airtight container in a cool, dry place (meringue will not keep well in humid or wet weather). Refrigerate leftovers, loosely covered with cling film, for up to 1 day. The meringue will soften as it stands.
MAKE AHEAD / STORE:
The meringue base can be made 1 day ahead. Store in airtight container in a cool, dry place (meringue will not keep well in humid or wet weather). Refrigerate leftovers, loosely covered with cling film, for up to 1 day. The meringue will soften as it stands.
Tell us what you think
Thank you {% member.data['first-name'] %}.
Explore more recipesYour comment has been submitted.
What 45 Others have said
-
Posted by laureldesign on 17th December 2022
-
Posted by Edel1 on 13th January 2022
-
Posted by Ishmail on 2nd April 2021
-
Posted by Kpeanut on 2nd February 2021
-
Posted by 250daly on 22nd November 2020
-
Posted by LaviniaM on 9th July 2020
-
Posted by redstagmk1 on 11th June 2020
-
Posted by mlutz07 on 1st April 2020
-
Posted by kerryafb on 21st December 2019
-
Posted by CABS3 on 28th March 2018
-
Posted by lisalale on 19th January 2018
-
Posted by Foodie7 on 19th March 2017
Show more commentsThis is my go to Christmas dessert. Everyone raves, make it ahead, and low fat, gluten free friends can enjoy with wild abandon. I do whipped cream just before serving so it’s nice and fresh. Hopefully, we have some left for breakfast!
Have made this twice in the space of two weeks. So yum. Very satisfying to make - and eat!
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you Nigella, I have made this a few times at home otherwise when attending a dinner I would gladly offer to bring dessert. And without fail it has proven to be a hit every single time. That crispy outer layer which gives you that crunch as you make it to that oh so chocolatey gooey center is absolutely satisfying.. I must admit that I do add more chocolate than specified in the recipe but I love all that dark chocolate flavor. That along with the acidity of the raspberries creates such an overwhelming explosion once bitten into and then you have that cream that just evens out and stabilizes all the sublime chaos your palate is experiencing.. it's absolutely amazing...
Made this chocolate raspberry pavlova which went down an absolute treat!! I would love to try a choc hazelnut pavlova, any suggestions welcome?
This is a wonderful dessert, the little chunks of chocolate embedded in the fudge base really makes it.
I forgot to add the grated chocolate to the meringue so added it to the whipped cream instead! Was a great success with everyone.
I love this pav, but I always use the measurements for Nigellas cappuccino pavlova which I believe uses 4 eggs instead of 6. I'm usually only baking for myself and my partner so the smaller batch works better for me.
Nigella's Chocolate Raspberry Pavlova is a family favorite in my household. This recipe not only introduced my loved ones to pavlovas, but it was also a great discovery to many friends and other family members over the years. The page for this in Nigella Summer has fallen out, and is marked with frequent usage--flour, chocolate, wet spots, etc. It's evident that it is a favorite recipe. I love it when that happens.
I have made this twice and it was wonderful. Thank you Nigella. But both times the pav. spread wider than it should and was not as high as when it went into the oven. Will adding cornflour help to keep it's shape?
First time baking a pav and it turned out fantastically.A brilliant, scrumptious, fun bake
This recipe inspired me to go into baking professionally. I made it countless times with absolute success and ended up taking a pastry chef course and becoming one. Personally I found it best to cut the pav into pieces and dollop whipped cream and raspberries on each piece of pav to serve. Thank you Nigella, for your gastronomical passion!
My sister served this dessert on Christmas Day last year - there were 22 of us, so a feat in itself. This was by far the stand out food of the day - words can't describe how good this is :) It's now mid-March; and since the 25th of December I've made this 6 times. Easy. Incredibly delicious. My family inhale this as soon as the raspberries hit the cream. It never lasts long and none of us have complained that we should move on from this dessert ... the addiction is certainly contagious. Thanks N.