Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Christmas in July - Chocolate Salted Caramel Pavlova

Christmas in July - Chocolate Salted Caramel Pavlova
Christmas in July - Chocolate Salted Caramel Pavlova
This is Lance’s current favourite food. I first made it for Mothers' Day and now he requests I make it all the time. If it didn’t mean I ended up with 8 egg yolks to deal with, I probably would! It is a brilliant dinner party dessert because it can all be pre-made and assembled on the day. The caramel and peanut praline can be made a few days in advance, the meringue is best made the day before to allow it to cool fully. I have made the meringues 3 days in advance too, as long as you store them in airtight containers, it works fine. Just don't assemble until a maximum of a few hours before serving.
The pavlova is rich and sweet and creamy, with the best combination of crispy meringue, sticky caramel, silky cream and crunchy praline. You only need a small slice, but then you go back for more. It’s so addictive! It looks both impressive and rustic at the same time.
Christmas in July - Chocolate Salted Caramel Pavlova
Christmas in July - Chocolate Salted Caramel Pavlova
Christmas in July - Chocolate Salted Caramel Pavlova
Christmas in July - Chocolate Salted Caramel Pavlova
 Christmas in July - Chocolate Salted Caramel Pavlova
Christmas in July - Chocolate Salted Caramel Pavlova
Christmas in July - Chocolate Salted Caramel Pavlova
Christmas in July - Chocolate Salted Caramel Pavlova
 Christmas in July - Chocolate Salted Caramel Pavlova

Chocolate Salted Caramel Pavlova

(serve 8-10)
8 egg whites
400g caster sugar
4 tbsp cocoa powder (unsweetened)
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
60g dark chocolate (I use Chilli Lindt, which happens to be equal to 6 squares), finely chopped)
600mL heavy cream (alternatively, 500mL whipping cream, whipped to firm peaks)
1 batch salted caramel (recipe below)
1 batch peanut praline (recipe below)
Position your oven racks in the middle two rows. Preheat oven to 180C
Line 3 baking trays with baking paper. On the back of them, trace a circle around a dinner plate around 24cm in diameter with a thick dark pen. Lightly spray the inked side with cooking spray and place ink side down on the trays. This helps stop them moving when you are adding the meringue.
Put the eggwhites in the bowl of your standmixer with the whisk attachment and whisk until soft peaks form. With the mixer still running, add a tablespoon of sugar at a time and continue beating until it goes stiff and glossy. It’s ready when you can lift the head of the mixer and the eggwhite mixture doesn’t drop off the whisk.
Take the bowl out of the machine and sift the cocoa powder, vinegar and chocolate. Gently fold this through the eggwhite mixture until it is an even pale brown colour.
Divide the mixture evenly between the 3 circles and then smooth with a spatula or back of a spoon to create flat, even layers.
Pop the trays in the oven and reduce the temperature straight away down to 140C. Cook for an hour. Don’t open the door at all during this time. When it’s ready, it will be crunchy on the outside and a little golden on the edges. Turn the oven off and leave the door of the oven ajar (use a wooden spoon to prop it open if necessary) and leave to cool completely inside. This will take a few hours.
To assemble, place one meringue on your serving plate and spread ½ of the caramel sauce over it. You’ll need to be very gentle so you don’t crush the meringue. Spoon 1/3 of the whipped cream on top of the caramel and spread. Top with a second meringue, then caramel, then cream. Finally add the third meringue, spread the remaining cream and sprinkle the chopped peanut praline over the top.



Christmas in July - Chocolate Salted Caramel Pavlova
Christmas in July - Chocolate Salted Caramel Pavlova

Salted Caramel Sauce

1 cup sugar
4 tbsp water

55 g butter
100mL cream
½ tsp fine sea salt

Add sugar and water in a medium saucepan over low heat. Stir until sugar has dissolved. Increase the heat to high, every so often, swirl the pot to keep mixture moving, but do not stir. The mixture will then start turning a nice caramel colour, when this happens, remove from the heat and add the butter, salt and cream. Whisk to combine, set aside to cool.

Christmas in July - Chocolate Salted Caramel Pavlova
Christmas in July - Chocolate Salted Caramel Pavlova

Peanut Praline

¾ cup raw peanuts
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp brown sugar
¼ tsp salt
Melt butter and sugar in a frypan and stir until the sugar dissolves into the butter. Add the salt and stir through, too. Add the peanuts and stir to cover in the sugar mixture. Leave to toast for 2 minutes or so, then toss to toast the other side of the nuts. When the mixture smells toasty and nutty, spread out onto a lined baking tray and leave to cool and harden.
Break up/cut into smaller pieces to put on top.

Christmas in July - Chocolate Salted Caramel Pavlova
Christmas in July - Chocolate Salted Caramel Pavlova
Christmas in July - Chocolate Salted Caramel Pavlova
Christmas in July - Chocolate Salted Caramel Pavlova
 Christmas in July - Chocolate Salted Caramel Pavlova
 Christmas in July - Chocolate Salted Caramel Pavlova
 Christmas in July - Chocolate Salted Caramel Pavlova
Christmas in July - Chocolate Salted Caramel Pavlova

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