Chocolate Cherry Pavlova Food

CHERRY CHOCOLATE PAVLOVA

Steps:

• To make the pavlova, draw 8-inch circle on a parchment paper and place it on baking sheet, ink side down. Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).
• In a small bowl, whisk together sugar, cocoa powder and cornstarch. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl with whisk attachment, or using handheld electric mixer, beat the egg whites until frothy. Stir in cream of tartar and salt and continue to beat on medium high speed. Add sugar mixture one tablespoon at a time, while mixer is running on medium high speed. Continue to beat the egg whites until hard peaks form. The mixture will look smooth and shiny. Add vanilla extract and white distilled vinegar, and gently fold the mixture with a spatula.
• Transfer the batter onto the parchment paper and spread it inside the circle. Make a shallow well in the center.
• Bake for 50 minutes. Turn the oven off and let it cool for at least 2 hours with oven door ajar. You can leave it overnight. While cooling, the cake will collapse and crack. This is totally normal.
• To make the cherry sauce, place the cherries in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring it to a boil.
• Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, mix together sugar, cornstarch and salt. Add sugar/cornstarch mixture, vanilla extract, almond extract and lemon juice into the boiling cherries. Mix well. Reduce the heat to low. Simmer the cherry mixture stirring constantly until thickened, for 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely.
• To make the whipped cream filling, beat the heavy cream with sugar and vanilla extract on medium speed until nice and thick. Keep a close eye on it. Don't over-whip the cream, or you will start making butter.
• When ready to serve, gently run a long offset spatula on the bottom of the cake to separate from the parchment paper. Using a large cake lifter, carefully transfer the cake onto a serving platter. Spread the whipped cream filling over the top of the cake and top with the cooled cheery sauce. Serve immediately.
• Though this cake is best to serve right away, leftover can be refrigerated for 1 day.
• To make ahead, bake the pavlova base the night before serving and keep it uncovered at room temperature. Make the cherry sauce and refrigerate. When ready to serve, make the whipped cream filling and assemble the cake.

CHERRY-CHOCOLATE PAVLOVA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 225°F.
• Stir cherries, 1/4 cup sugar and 2 Tbsp. water in saucepan on medium-high heat; cook 15 min. or until softened, stirring frequently. Combine cornstarch with remaining water; add to cherry mixture and cook 1 min. or until thickened, stirring constantly. Cool completely.
• Meanwhile beat egg whites and cream of tartar in large bowl with mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in remaining sugar. Continue beating until stiff peaks form. Spread into 10-inch circle on parchment-covered baking sheet, indenting center.
• Bake 1-1/2 hours. Cool. Meanwhile, beat pudding mix and milk in large bowl with whisk 2 min. Whisk in COOL WHIP; refrigerate 15 min. or until slightly thickened.
• Place meringue on serving plate just before serving; fill center with pudding mixture. Top with cherry mixture and chocolate.

CHERRY, ALMOND & VANILLA CUSTARD PAVLOVA

Steps:

• Line a large baking sheet with baking parchment. Using an 18cm round cake tin or plate as a guide, draw a circle on the parchment, then flip it over. Heat the oven to 130C/110C fan/gas ½.
• Rub the reserved lemon half around the inside of a large bowl or stand mixer, then wipe with kitchen paper to remove any butter or oil. Tip in the egg whites and whisk with an electric whisk or the mixer on a low speed until the whites form small, foamy bubbles, about 1-2 mins. Keep going until the mix looks like shaving foam, then add the sugar, 1 tbsp at a time, until it's a thick, glossy meringue. Rub some between your fingers - if you can feel any grains of sugar, keep whisking for a few minutes. Add the cornflour, lemon juice and vanilla, and whisk for another 30 seconds.
• Spoon the meringue into the centre of the circle and spread it out to the edges with a palette knife. Swipe the knife around the edge, then smooth the top.
• Bake for 1 hr 15 mins, then turn the oven down to 100C/80C fan/gas ¼ and bake for 1 hr. Turn the oven off and leave the pavlova inside to cool for at least 2 hrs, or overnight.
• When ready to serve, carefully invert the pavlova and peel away the parchment. Don't worry if it cracks a little - it will be covered by the topping.
• To make the topping, heat the double cream with the milk in a small pan until steaming. Remove from the heat. Whisk together the egg yolks, cornflour, vanilla extract and caster sugar in a bowl. Slowly pour this over the cream mixture, stirring continuously, then return the pan to a low-medium heat. Cook for 5 mins, stirring, until thickened - it should coat the back of a spoon and leave a channel when you run a finger through it. Transfer to a bowl and cover the surface with baking parchment to prevent a skin forming. Chill for at least 1 hr, until thick enough to spread.
• Pit and halve the cherries (leaving a few whole, if you like). Toss with the icing sugar and a dash of cherry liqueur or more vanilla extract, then leave to macerate for at least 30 mins. Spoon the cherry jam or compote over the centre of the pavlova, and spread it out to the edges. Beat the chilled custard briefly, then spread it over the jam. Top with the macerated cherries and scatter over the toasted flaked almonds. Best served straightaway but leftovers will keep in the fridge for two days.