Mini Cherry Pavlovas w/ Chocolate Cream
This is a very dainty, delicate and aromatic dessert. Pavlova is a meringue-based cake hugely popular in Australia and New Zealand, crunchy on the outside but soft on the inside, topped with fruit or sometimes with a not too sweet, vanilla-flavored cream.
There are many different pavlova recipes – classic pavlova topped with fruit, some topped with various types of cream, or fancy recipes like this pavlova with tangerine and black truffles.
But I like this recipe best – the mini pavlovas are topped with a dark chocolate cream with a hint of brandy. And to top it off there’s a lemon and cherry sauce. They are both colorful and full of flavor. This contrast of textures and flavors offers delight in every bite. A real treat!
Mini Cherry Pavlovas w/ Chocolate Cream
Ingredients
For the meringue:
- 3 egg whites from 3 large eggs
- 1 pinch of salt
- 150 g sugar
- 20 g liquid glucose
- 40 ml water
For the chocolate cream:
- 250 ml milk
- 3 yolks
- 30 g sugar
- 1 tbsp starch
- 80 g dark chocolate
- 1 tbsp brandy
For the cherry sauce:
- 300 g cherries
- 50 g sugar
- 50 ml water
- 1 lemon
Instructions
For the meringue:
- Put the water, glucose, and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar melts. When the sugar has completely melted, turn up the heat a little and simmer for 6-7 minutes until you get a thick syrup.
- When the syrup starts to boil, whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they become a firm foam. When the sugar syrup is ready turn off the burner.
- Slowly pour the syrup over the egg whites and continue mixing on high. Whisk for about 10 minutes until they reach room temperature and the meringue thickens and becomes glossy.
- Preheat the oven to 100° C/212° F . Line a large baking pan with parchment paper. Pour the meringue into a large star-tipped piping bag and pipe meringue nests onto the pan. Place in the oven and bake for an hour.
For the chocolate cream:
- Heat the milk and sugar. Whisk the egg yolks and the starch separately. Once the milk is hot, pour a few tablespoons of milk over the yolks and mix well.
- Pour the mixture over the milk in the pot and place it on a medium heat. Stir continuously until the cream begins to boil and thickens.
- Take the cream off the heat and add the chopped chocolate. Stir well and then incorporate the brandy. Let the cream cool, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t form a skin.
For the cherry sauce:
- Wash the cherries and remove the stems and pits. Place them in a heavy-bottomed pot with the juice from one lemon and the sugar and water. Put the pot on a medium heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the liquid has reduced and begins to thicken.
- For the assembly, pour chocolate cream in the center of each nest. Top with cherry sauce and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
Related: Chocolate Cupcakes with Blackberry Sauce
Related: Chocolate Cherry Cookies
Related: Chocolate Cherry Cake
Related: Chocolate Cheese Mousse Cake w/ Cherry Jam