Chocolate Champagne Meringue Pavlova
(Gluten-Free)
My dad doesn't cook often, but when he does, he makes fabulous desserts. When I was still in grade school, my mom would annually host an extravagant Christmas dessert party with fifty of her closest girlfriends. Now this wasn't your simple holiday cookie exchange. In fact, it was not even in that realm or dimension. My parents would spend months selecting and planning the dessert menu, searching through both food and art magazines for inspiration. One year my dad even made a lemon sugar sculpture. Talk about #1 Dad.
I remember one dessert that was a hit with all of the guests. Pavlova! It was light, creamy, chocolatey, and fruity. What more could a girl ask for? Making desserts for entertaining is always a tough feat to please everyone. This particular recipe has soft and crunchy meringue, fresh whipped cream, and colorful fruit.
For those of you who've never tried meringue, today is the day! Meringue, a famous French sweet, has two basic ingredients: egg whites and sugar! Simple right? It's light and airy and just sweet enough to satisfy your sweet craving in a small serving without other funky ingredients like traditional bonbons. I use organic granulated sugar in this recipe to ensure my meringue is chemical and worry free!
Ingredients
4 egg whites
1/4 c raw cocoa powder, sifted
1 tbsp champagne vinegar
1 1/2 tsp organic cornstarch
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
1/8 tsp salt
1 c organic granulated sugar
1 c organic heavy cream (may substitute with coconut whipped cream)
2 tbsp organic powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Fresh fruit for topping like berries, kiwi, starfruit
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Take a piece of parchment paper and trace a 9" round circle with a pencil (I used a cake pan) and place the sheet pencil-side down on a baking sheet. In a stand mixer, beat the egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt until the whites appear frothy and foamy. While still beating on high, gradually pour in the granulated sugar, cornstarch. and the vinegar. Whip on medium-high until stiff peaks form. This will take about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the cocoa powder and mix on low until the powder is half combined. Finish combining the cocoa by gently folding the batter with a spatula. Gently transfer the batter onto the traced circle of the parchment paper (see photo). Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 300 degrees F and bake another 40 to 50 minutes until the meringue is slightly cracked on the edges. Turn off the oven, crack the oven door, and let the meringue cool inside for at least an hour before taking it out of the oven. This step is necessary to complete the texturizing process of the meringue so that it's not too dense. Gently transfer the cooled meringue to your desired serving dish.
Just before serving, prepare the whipped cream and fruit. In a stand mixer, beat the cream until frothy and add in the sugar and vanilla until desired whipped cream consistency. Transfer the whipped cream using a spatula onto the meringue. Spread the cream so that it covers the meringue in one thick layer. Lastly, place the fresh fruit on top, either by random or create a unique design like I did (see photo)!
Note: Moisture and weather plays a large factor in your final meringue texture. If you want a lighter, drier meringue, I recommend that you prepare the recipe on a dry day.
I remember one dessert that was a hit with all of the guests. Pavlova! It was light, creamy, chocolatey, and fruity. What more could a girl ask for? Making desserts for entertaining is always a tough feat to please everyone. This particular recipe has soft and crunchy meringue, fresh whipped cream, and colorful fruit.
For those of you who've never tried meringue, today is the day! Meringue, a famous French sweet, has two basic ingredients: egg whites and sugar! Simple right? It's light and airy and just sweet enough to satisfy your sweet craving in a small serving without other funky ingredients like traditional bonbons. I use organic granulated sugar in this recipe to ensure my meringue is chemical and worry free!
Ingredients
4 egg whites
1/4 c raw cocoa powder, sifted
1 tbsp champagne vinegar
1 1/2 tsp organic cornstarch
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
1/8 tsp salt
1 c organic granulated sugar
1 c organic heavy cream (may substitute with coconut whipped cream)
2 tbsp organic powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Fresh fruit for topping like berries, kiwi, starfruit
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Take a piece of parchment paper and trace a 9" round circle with a pencil (I used a cake pan) and place the sheet pencil-side down on a baking sheet. In a stand mixer, beat the egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt until the whites appear frothy and foamy. While still beating on high, gradually pour in the granulated sugar, cornstarch. and the vinegar. Whip on medium-high until stiff peaks form. This will take about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the cocoa powder and mix on low until the powder is half combined. Finish combining the cocoa by gently folding the batter with a spatula. Gently transfer the batter onto the traced circle of the parchment paper (see photo). Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 300 degrees F and bake another 40 to 50 minutes until the meringue is slightly cracked on the edges. Turn off the oven, crack the oven door, and let the meringue cool inside for at least an hour before taking it out of the oven. This step is necessary to complete the texturizing process of the meringue so that it's not too dense. Gently transfer the cooled meringue to your desired serving dish.
Just before serving, prepare the whipped cream and fruit. In a stand mixer, beat the cream until frothy and add in the sugar and vanilla until desired whipped cream consistency. Transfer the whipped cream using a spatula onto the meringue. Spread the cream so that it covers the meringue in one thick layer. Lastly, place the fresh fruit on top, either by random or create a unique design like I did (see photo)!
Note: Moisture and weather plays a large factor in your final meringue texture. If you want a lighter, drier meringue, I recommend that you prepare the recipe on a dry day.
