Yield: 1 (8-inch) cake
Ingredients:
Pavlova
- 8 egg whites, room temperature
- 1/8 teaspoon (.75 ml) salt
- 2 cups (470 ml) icing sugar
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
- 1 drop (1 ml) cherry extract
Chocolate cream
- 1 cup (240 ml) dark chocolate chips
- 6 egg yolks
- ½ cup (120 ml) sugar
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) cherry brandy
- 1 package gelatin (1 tablespoon/15 ml) dissolved in 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of water
- 2 cups (470 ml) heavy cream
Chocolate sparkle cherries
- 2 ounces (57 g) bittersweet chocolate
- 10 cherries with stems
- Red edible glitter
Method:
Let’s get baking!
Preheat oven to 300 F (150 C).
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Draw 4 large circles onto parchments.
Flip parchments over.
To make meringue, add egg whites to a bowl.
Add salt.
Whip whites until soft peaks form.
Slowly incorporate sugar.
Add cornstarch, vinegar, vanilla, and cherry extract and continue whipping until stiff peaks form.
Spread meringue into circles on parchment.
Bake in the oven for 90 minutes.
To make chocolate cream, melt chocolate in a bowl set over boiling water (bain marie).
In a separate bowl, whip together eggs, sugar, and cherry brandy.
Take chocolate bowl off heat. Slowly pour egg mixture into chocolate, stirring to incorporate. Place bowl back on the boiling water (bain marie).
Cook for a few minutes, stirring.
Add gelatin and stir.
Remove from heat.
Whip the cream.
Fold the cream into the chocolate mixture.
Put in the fridge to cool and set.
To make the cherries, melt chocolate in a bowl set over boiling water (bain marie).
Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Holding the stem, dip a cherry into the melted chocolate.
Dip the cherry into the edible glitter.
Set cherry on parchment paper.
Repeat.
Put in the fridge to set.
To assemble, layer the meringue circles with the chocolate cream, stacking and alternating.
Top with sparkle cherries.
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