I made Nigella Lawson’s Chocolate Raspberry Pavlova for a friend’s birthday party and everyone Loved it.  It was elegant, sophisticated, simple, and not too sweet.  I look forward to making this again and again with different fruits (ie. strawberries; mixed berries), because I imagine any fruit that pairs well with chocolate and cream will work beautifully.

I may have spread it out too much before I baked it because it turned out very large and could have served 12 – 15 people.  Even though there were only 8 people at the dinner party, and two other desserts, they still managed to finish it.

Chocolate Raspberry Pavlova Recipe

by Nigella Lawson, serves 8 – 10

For the chocolate meringue base

6 egg whites

300g caster sugar (could also use granulated white sugar that has been ground in a food processor or blender)

3 tbsp cocoa powder, sifted

1 tsp balsamic or red wine vinegar

50 g dark chocolate, finely chopped

For topping

500 ml double cream (I used whipping cream)

500 g raspberries

2 – 3 tbsp coarsely grated dark chocolate

Preheat oven to 180°C and line a baking tray with parchment paper.  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 23 cm in diameter, smoothing the sides and top.  Place in the oven, then immediately turn the temperature down to 150°C and cook for about 1 to 1 1/4 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.