Chocolate Meringues (Pavlova) with Strawberries and Blackberries!

It was going to be a long weekend with Friday off last week for Hari Malaysia celebration, so hubs decided we went back to Ayer Baloi! I sorted out my supposedly free weekday to fulfill all orders to be collected on Friday, from Khadijah....she was still in the midst of SPM Trial Exams and stayed back with Yusof accompanied by my mak and ayah.

I had about 2 hours sleep the night before, I was darn sleepy, but I decided to make this anyway, in between filling my macarons, topping my red velvet cakes and packing! haha! Afterall I still have egg whites from about 45 eggs, left over from the kek lapis that I made during raya....I figured that I wouldn't use this egg whites for macarons, I busted 2 batches, they had feet but were gritty....I didn't store the egg whites properly ie in the freezer beyond the 5 day mark in the fridge!.....but they are still good for meringues, pavlova....didn't have time time why the ozzie calls this meringues, and the english and most of us calls this pavlova! why ah!!???

....and the other thing is that I must confess that the pavlova maker at home has always been my hubs until last Friday, muahaha! The whisk and the egg whites are mine! Officially...I conquered pavlova...choc pavlova....it was supa easy, the way to whip the meringue is almost like making macarons, except that there was no macaronnage to follow after that! ....but unless you wish to have bisceps, I suggest  you use a stand mixer to whip the meringue! It has to be stiff, shiny with a bird's beak before you fold the vinegar, cocoa powder and cornflour and vanilla!

So...here goes.....

Ingredients

4 egg whites, at room temperature, I used 130g egg whites

1 1/2 cups caster sugar, about 330g

1 tbsp cocoa powder, I used Valrhona

1 tsp white vinegar

1 tsp cornflour

1 tsp vanilla extract

250ml whipping cream, 35% fat content

Strawberries and blackberries

Method

1. Preheat the oven at 150C. Prepare baking sheets with baking paper.

2. Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt, until foamy and soft peaks.

3. Add caster sugar 1 tbsp at a time. Whisk until thick, dense and glossy.

4. Using a spatula, fold in the sifted cocoa powder and corn flour, vinegar and vanilla extract.

5. I used my spatula to dollop small rounds of the mixture onto the lined baking sheets.

6. Using a spoon or your spatula, make a slight indent in the top of the mixture.

7. Place in the oven, immediately reduce the temperature to 120C. Bake for 45 minutes, then turn off the oven off leaving the meringues to cool completely.

Recipe was adpted from Chocolate Meringues with Raspberries and Caramel Sauce from Australia's Delicious magazine September 2011 issue.

I served them with whipped whipping cream and some starwberries and blackberries. You could drizzle some caramel, but I didn't have time to make some caramel sauce! Was busy entertaining guests in Ayer Baloi! 

The pavlovas had a crspy texture outside and chewy in the middle...errr I had 2 in a go, hehe!