PAVOLOVA WITH MARRON GLACES, CHESTNUTS,

CHOCOLATE & HASLENUT MERINGUE

 

Serves 6

Preparation Time: about 30 mins

Cooking Time:  1 hour and then time to cool completely

 

This is a very rich, extravagant dessert ideal to impress your guests!

 

Ingredients

For the meringue
4 egg whites
250g caster sugar
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp cornflour, sieved

1 tsp cocoa powder, sieved
1 tsp vanilla extract

Small pack of hazlenuts, partially crushed

For the topping
1 box of Marron Glaces
1 can of Unsweetened Chestnut Puree

2 tbs Brandy
3 tbsp icing sugar
350ml double cream

 

To Garnish

Dark Chocolate Shavings

 

 

 

 

AND THIS IS WHAT YOU DO.....

 

1.  Heat oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2.

2.  Using a pencil, mark out the circumference of a dinner plate on baking parchment.

3.  Whisk the egg whites with a hand mixer until they form stiff peaks, then whisk in the sugar, 1 tbsp at a time, until the meringue looks glossy.

4.  Whisk in the vinegar, cornflour and vanilla.

 

5.  Fold in the crushed hazlenuts.

6.  Spread the meringue inside the circle, creating a crater by making the sides a little higher than the middle.

7.  Bake for 1 hr, then turn off the heat and let the Pavlova cool completely inside the oven.

8.  When the meringue is cool, you can then start preparing the fruit.  Chop 100g of the strawberries. Mix them with half the redcurrants and 2 tbsp icing sugar. Place in a food processor, blitz until smooth, then push the fruit mixture through a sieve and set aside.

 

9.  Whip up the chestnut puree with a little icing sugar, brandy and 2-3 tbs cream and spread on top of the meringue.
 

10  Whip the cream with the remaining icing sugar and spread it over the chestnut puree.

 

11.  Finally, you can garnish with shavings of dark chocolate.