Caramel Pavlova with Spiced Cherries and Chocolate

⏳ Time

1 hour

🥕 Ingredients

🍽️ Servings

Description

The result is a very light dish. Without the traditional moisture of chocolate-cherry sponge cakes, creams, or fondants, but with a light refreshing tartness from the cherries, the sweet bitterness of chocolate, and the chewy caramel softness of the meringue. So that's how it goes.

Ingredients

Marinated cherries - 1.8 oz
Chocolate - 1.8 oz
Egg white - 4 pieces
10% cream - 7 fl oz
Cinnamon - 1 piece
Clove - 1 piece
Star anise - 1 piece
Brown Sugar - 7.1 oz
Corn Starch - 1 tablespoon
Cardamom - 1 piece
Champagne Vinegar - 1 teaspoon
Nutmeg - a pinch

Step by Step guide

Step 1

First, we need to prepare the spiced cherry puree (its strength is like non-alcoholic mulled wine with incredible tartness). For this, let the frozen cherries thaw, or if you're lucky enough to have fresh ones, add a little water to them. Bring to a boil over low heat and add the spices (orange zest would also be wonderful here).

Step 2

Let it simmer a bit. Remove the spices (if they are whole) and blend the mixture in a blender, then strain through a sieve. This is the most labor-intensive part of the whole process. Let the puree cool.

Step 3

Meanwhile, you can start whipping the egg whites. Whip them to a foamy state and add the sugar, then whip to soft peaks and sift in the cornstarch and add the vinegar. Whip to stiff peaks. Then, gently fold our wonderful shiny meringue with two tablespoons of cherry puree in two or three light movements. Shape the meringue into whatever you need, whether it's a round shape or rectangular, or maybe you want small pastries — it's up to you. Place it in a preheated oven at 338°F for 25–30 minutes (and at this fateful moment, my oven let me down, so my wonderful round meringue deflated a bit).

Step 4

Due to the brown sugar, the meringue will acquire a beautiful cappuccino-like golden hue. Decorate the remaining meringue with cream. Generously add threads or drops of melted chocolate (caramel will also be great here) and thawed cherry berries. Don't forget, of course, about the leftover puree.