Di's Choc-Berry Pavlova Is The Ultimate Summer Dessert

By Di Westaway | Chief Adventure Chick and Founder of Wild Women On Top

This recipe is adapted from a family Christmas favourite to give you an amazing experience of sweet, crunchy, creamy, tangy, melt-in-your-mouth delight in every mouthful. It’s designed for the busy mum who gets more time for hiking by making two cakes from one bake. 

These ingredients are designed for a two-layered stack of pav, ganache, cream and berries for that special birthday or a New Years Eve dinner AND a simple, single layer pav for a high tea on the trail. 

It's a delicious treat for every occasion. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Pavlova

• 6 egg whites
• 1.5 cups caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp vinegar
• 1 tsp cornflour
• 2 cups roast slivered almonds

Chocolate Ganache 

• 150mL fresh pouring cream 
• 250gm Lindt Dark Chocolate

Toppings

• 900mL fresh pouring cream (600mL for the two layer cake and 300mL for the trail pav)
• A few drops vanilla essence 
• 3 punnets strawberries chopped 
• 2 punnets raspberries
• 2 punnets blueberries 

Method

Pavlova

1. Preheat over to 160 degrees celsius. Draw 3 x 20 cm circle on baking paper on flat baking trays.  
2. Beat egg whites till stiff. Gradually add sugar and beat soft peaks form.
3. Add vanilla, vinegar and cornflour and fold in roast almonds.
4. Bake for an hour then turn oven off and leave to cool completely in oven. Overnight is fine. 

Chocolate Ganache

1. Break chocolate into small pieces and heat over a double boiler (glass bowl over water on stove) with cream stirring occasionally until smooth and irresistible.
2. Allow to cool. 

Toppings

Whip 300mls pouring cream per layer with vanilla until thick. 

To create your two-layer masterpiece

1. Start with meringue base, spoon half the ganache on top, then cover with cream, then strawberries.
2. Repeat and decorate with additional raspberries and blueberries. 

To create your extraordinary trail pav 

1. Save the third meringue layer for your next hike. Store the meringue in an airtight container in the oven until needed. It should keep for up to a week if it remains dry. 
2. Pack your backpack carefully with: pavlova layer in a box, 300mL whipped cream in a plastic container on ice, punnet chopped strawberries and raspberries.   
3. Find a breathtakingly beautiful location and assemble your cake on a large plate. Don’t forget a big knife, napkins and a good appetite.