Full question
I made the Chocolate Raspberry Pavlova but as I added the cocoa powder and vinegar the meringue mixture lost its stiffness and after cooking, was more like a flat pavlova cookie! We will be eating it crumbled up with ice-cream, but what went wrong?
Our answer
Nigella's Chocolate Raspberry Pavlova (from NIGELLA SUMMER) is made with a meringue base that has been flavoured with cocoa powder. The meringue has a chewy, almost brownie-like interior. The meringue should stay formed in a fat disc but if it becomes thin it is sometimes because the egg whites have been whisked too much before the sugar is added. The whites should be whisked until they reach soft or floppy peaks and then the sugar should be whisked in a tablespoonful at a time.
Meringue can also become flat if moisture or fat is introduced, so make sure that the bowl and whisk are completely grease-free and dry, and the whites do not contain any traces of egg yolk. Try to avoid using plastic bowls as these can tend to hold on to traces of grease and moisture. Also make sure that the cocoa powder is dry and does not have any lumps. Cocoa powder tends to absorb moisture and should be stored in an airtight container in a dry place.
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