Strawberry Topped Chocolate Pavlova
Strawberry Topped Chocolate Pavlova with mascarpone cream and sweet, ripe strawberries is an exquisite summer dessert that is amazing with seasonal berries!
A crisp meringue shell with a marshmallow-like interior is the delicious base for this sweet berries and cream Pavlova Recipe!
Why You Must Make
- A pavlova makes a beautiful, elegant presentation with the chocolate meringue shell, billowy white whipped cream, and vibrant red strawberries.
- It’s just as delicious as it looks!
- My friends had never seen nor eaten a pavlova until I served this. You will wow your guests by serving a pavlova dessert.
Expert Tips
- PRO-Tip: Your egg whites must be at room temperature for the best volume.
- PRO-Tip: Your bowl and beaters must be scrupulously clean. Any speck of oil will prevent the whites from beating properly.
- In the same vein, there must be no egg yolk in the whites. The fat in the egg yolk will also prevent the whites from beating properly.
- Use superfine sugar to help the sugar dissolve into the whites. You can make your own by whizzing regular, granulated sugar in a food processor.
- PRO-Tip: Do not overbeat your egg whites (they should never look dry) or your pavlova will crack.
- PRO-Tip: Never beat your whites higher than low or medium. This takes patience, but over-whisking will cause your pavlova to crack and collapse.
- Add your sugar slowly. Begin when the egg whites just become soft and foamy. If you feel any granules of sugar in your meringue, it will cause your baked pavlova to weep (develop water droplets on the surface). This can also occur when baking on a humid day.
- PRO-Tip: Use a dab of the egg white mixture under each corner of the parchment paper so it adheres to the baking sheet.
- After the hour of baking, turn off the oven, open the door, and let the meringue cool off in the oven. PRO-Tip: If you decide to store the pavlova in the oven, put a reminder note on the oven door so you don’t accidentally turn on the oven (been there, done that!).
Chocolate Pavlova Recipe
The first pavlova I ever made was Nigella’s chocolate pavlova with raspberries (recipe link below). I added some cocoa powder and semisweet chocolate to the meringue, then topped the crispy shell with a heavenly cloud of whipped cream and loads of ripe red raspberries. The family was instantly smitten.
The recipe morphed. Any kind of berries was fair game. And then I added some mascarpone to the cream topping. It was now even more swoon-worthy. When I hit the market this week, the raspberries were sad and pale, but the strawberries were luscious and fragrant. A strawberry topped chocolate pavlova would be on our menu. Another winner!
Frequently Asked Questions
A pavlova is a large meringue covered with cream and fruit. It was named for Anna Pavlova, the famous ballerina who visited Australia and New Zealand in the 1920s. Both countries would love to take credit for inventing the recipe. New Zealand seems to have gotten the edge in this contest as they have the first published recipe from the 1920s It wasn’t until 1940 for Australia’s first cookbook entry.
Pavlova and Meringues are both egg white desserts. Meringue cookies, though, have a completely different texture compared to a pavlova. The cookies are crisp all the way through and will melt in your mouth. A pavlova has what Nigella Lawson calls “a squidgy” interior, chewy and marshmallow-like. The exterior of a pavlova, though, is crisp.
You May Also Like:
These recipes with egg whites are terrific when you’ve made a custard or creme brulee that uses only yolks and there are leftover whites.
- Strawberry & Mascarpone Pavlova Recipe from Saving Room for Dessert
- Strawberry Pavlova
- Chocolate Raspberry Pavlova
- And for Christmas, try this beautiful Wreath Pavlova
- More of the Best Dessert Recipes
Chocolate Pavlova Recipe
A large cocoa meringue topped with whipped mascarpone cream and sliced ripe strawberries
Ingredients
- 6 egg whites, at room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups superfine sugar (I whiz granulated sugar in the food processor for a minute or so)
- 1/4 cup good quality cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon raspberry or balsamic vinegar (I used black currant balsamic vinegar)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup Mascarpone cream
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 4 cups sliced strawberries, gently tossed with a tablespoon of sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º. Line baking sheet with parchment. Draw a 9-inch circle on parchment, then flip the paper over. Set aside.
- Beat the egg whites till soft peaks form. Add salt, then slowly add the sugar, while continuing to beat, until meringue is stiff and glossy. Sift cocoa powder over the meringue, then add vinegar, vanilla, and chopped chocolate. Fold well till combined.
- Pile the meringue onto the baking sheet, keeping it within the 9-inch circle. Smooth top and edges with an offset spatula.
- Place in oven and immediately decrease the temperature to 300º.
- Bake for 1-1¼ hours till dry on edges and top. Pavlova will appear cracked.
- Turn off the oven, open the oven door, and allow it to cool completely.
- To serve, carefully flip onto the serving plate. Whip cream with powdered sugar, vanilla. Fold in mascarpone. Top pavlova with whipped cream, then sliced strawberries.
Notes
Make sure all your utensils are free from oil and grease or the egg whites won't whip properly. This includes contamination from egg yolk, which contains fat.
Recipe adapted from Nigella Lawson.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
10Serving Size:
1 sliceAmount Per Serving: Calories: 443Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 74mgSodium: 196mgCarbohydrates: 49gFiber: 2gSugar: 45gProtein: 5g
54 Comments on “Strawberry Topped Chocolate Pavlova”
Liz, I spotted the photo of this earlier today on FB and my jaw dropped. YUM! I’ve had pavlova many times, but never chocolate. Brilliant. And it’s so pretty with the fresh summer berries. 🙂 ~Valentina
What a lovely summery dessert. (Thanks for the smoked Cheez-it link!) I looked at that one but I guess I didn’t scroll far enough down for the recipe! Doh!
I made this for a friend’s shower and everyone loved it!
First time making a pavlova- great recipe!
Everyone in my house loved it! Such a gorgeous dessert!
This looks too good!! I love it!!!
very beautiful story and chocolate? thats a delicious change and bonus for this creative recipe!
Help? What’s the trick? The first few times I made this recipe, it turned out the perfect shape and thickness. Looked and tasted ou of this world. This year I can’t for the life of me figure out why it spreads out to the size of a large pizza!! 4 times it’s happened. Still chewy on the inside and tastes good but i can’t figure out what I’m doing wrong. I add superfine sugar, large spoon full at a time allowing to incorporate in between. Never seem to lose at least some grainy feel to final egg white mixture. It’s thick and glossy. Piles up easily on parchment (4″ high perhaps, 8-9″ wide). Start at 375, reduce to 300. 1 1/4 hours later, its near flat. I’m using a different “high quality” cocoa, but could that be it? Just used Hershey’s before.
Hi, Mary! That sure is puzzling as it sounds like you’re doing everything right. I start at 350, not 375, but again, I don’t think that should cause a collapse. My only suggestion would be to make sure your egg whites are at room temperature, whiz your superfine sugar in the food processor to make it even finer. That should prevent overbeating which may contribute to the collapse according to this article: http://www.taste.com.au/how+to/articles/2363/complete+guide+to+pavlova (http://www.taste.com.au/how+to/articles/2363/complete+guide+to+pavlova)
I hope this helps!
It’s a mystery. Thanks for your comments. Whites room temp and sugar is superfine. Read a tip that it could be my balsamic vinegar not acidic enough. Really the only thing I changed was the cocoa. Using Rodelle. May I ask how long you find that you usually have to beat the egg whites once you start you adding sugar ? My final mixture is quite thick but still glossy.
This must be so frustrating. I’d say it’s all blended in in maybe 3-4 minutes. I usually put in one tablespoon at a time, but have found I can still feel a few sugar granules if I check, too. Please let me know if you ever figure it out!
I agree — the best recipes come from the heart! Thank you for sharing this delightful treat with all of us!
Ok, that’s it. I NEED to try a pavlova this year!
This looks lovely! And I love to hear your family history! So intriguing!