Chocolate berry pavlova recipe by Niels Verburg paired with More Luddite Shiraz or a Riesling.
Ingredients
Chocolate Meringue Base
6 egg whites
300 g castor sugar
45 ml cocoa powder, sifted
2.5 ml ground cinnamon
15 ml red wine vinegar
50 g dark chocolate, chopped
Topping
500 ml thick cream
500 g mixed fresh berries
10-15 ml coarsely grated dark chocolate
Recipe
Serves 10
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray - choose any shape - with baking paper. ('I spray the paper with non-stick cooking spray as a precautionary measure.')
Beat the egg whites until stiff. Then start adding the sugar, 15 ml at a time while beating, until the mixture is stiff and shiny.
Sprinkle the cocoa, cinnamon, vinegar, and chocolate into the mixture. Fold in gently with a metal spoon until it's all mixed in. Spoon onto the baking tray in a circular shape.
Place in the oven and immediately lower the temperature to 150°C. Bake for about 1 ¼ hours. The meringue should be crisp on the edges and outside, but still squidgy in the middle.
Switch off the oven, open the door and leave it ajar to allow the meringue to cool completely before removing it from the oven. Invert onto a serving plate.
Whisk the cream until thick but floppy. Pile the cream onto the meringue. Scatter the berries over the cream and decorate with grated chocolate.
Wine Pairing
More Luddite Shiraz, or a Riesling ('pending a Luddite Chenin Blanc...')