18 Petite Sirah and Chocolate Cherry Pavlova
Ingredients
- For chocolate meringue:
- 6 large egg whites
- 320 g granulated sugar (or turbinado sugar, ground in a food processor) 1 1/2 cups
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vinegar (plain, apple cider or red wine)
- 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch 1 1/2 teaspoons
- 2 tablespoons dutch process cocoa
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- For Chocolate Ganache:
- 200 g dark chocolate, 60-70% cocoa solids chips or a chopped bar
- 120 g heavy cream
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- For Brandied Cherries:
- 1 1/2 – 2 lbs. fresh tart cherries, pitted
- 1/2 cup real maple syrup
- 1/4 cup Bovino brandy
- 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- To finish: 2 Tablespoons Bovino brandy
Directions
- For Chocolate Meringues - Preheat the oven to 250 F. Draw 3 inch circles on two sheets of parchment paper and lay them (pencil side down) on a greased cookie sheet.
- If you are using turbinado sugar, grind it in a food processor until most of it is powder.
- Set a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water and pour in the egg whites and sugar. Whisk continuously as the sugar dissolves, this will take 4-7 minutes. When you can pinch the mixture with your fingers and can’t detect any sugar granules, it’s done.
- Pour it into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, set the speed to low and gradually crank it up to medium high. It will need to whip for 7-10 minutes, until it’s thick and glossy. Toward the end of whipping, pour in the vanilla, salt and vinegar. Stop when it hits stiff peaks; you can hold up the whisk and the meringue doesn’t droop.
- Over the meringue, sift cocoa powder and cornstarch and use a rubber spatula to gently fold it in, careful not to deflate the meringue. It’s okay if there are a couple of streaks of cocoa or unmixed meringue. Divide the meringue between the two prepared pans and use an offset spatula to smooth it down into one layer, keeping it in the shape of the circle you drew.
- Set the pans in the oven to bake (if your oven is large enough, side by side, if not one in the center and one on the bottom will work) for 2 hours. When you can open the oven (gently) and touch the pavlovas and they seem dry, shut off the oven. Let the pavlovas cool down and dry out in the oven for another 1-2 hours or overnight.
- When it’s time to remove them use an offset spatula to loosen them from the parchment paper.
- For Whipped Cream- whip 1 pint heavy whipping cream together with 2 tsp powdered sugar until fluffy and firm.
- For Chocolate Ganache - Make the chocolate ganache by scalding the heavy cream: cook it in a pot over medium heat until it just bubbles on the sides) then pour it over the chocolate and stir until you have a smooth ganache. Use the ganache to top while it’s still spreadable but not hot.
- For Brandied Cherries - In a medium saucepan, add the cherries, maple syrup, 1/4 cup brandy, and vanilla. Bring to a boil over medium heat and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes or until the cherries are very soft.
- Get some of the juices (2 – 4 Tablespoons-ful) from the pot into a cup. Stir the cornstarch into this liquid until smooth. Add the cornstarch mixture, a spoonful at a time, to the cooking cherries, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thickened. Stop when it is thickened to your liking.
- Remove from heat and stir in the additional brandy.
- To Assemble Pavlova: place one meringue on a plate and top with warm ganache. Place a dollop of whipped cream on top and another meringue. Top with warm brandied cherries and serve immediately.
