Mini Chocolate Pavlova stacks

What completes a modern Australian meal is definitely a dessert. I couldn’t figured out which I like more Pavlova or a lamington? I had all these crazy ideas in my head a lamington styled cheesecake? bush tucker Pavlova? In the end I settled with the idea of chocolate pavlova with a sort of Lamington topping, consisting of desiccated coconut and chocolate. Of course it does not end there, a pavlova in my opinion isn’t complete without the fruit. I wanted the Pavlova to be light in sweetness and not very heavy which this recipe delivers. The crunchy of the pavlova and the smoothness of the ganache adds two different textures. So tasty and completes every Australian meal .

Recipe (ingredients and method slightly altered) is adapted from Women’s weekly which is found here.

Pavlova:
6 egg whites
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1 cup of caster sugar
¼ cup of cocoa powder
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
50g dark chocolate, chopped finely

Topping:
desiccated coconut
sliced strawberries (or any fruit)

Chocolate ganache: (adjusted if need)
1/3 of cream
200 grams of dark chocolate

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C/140°C fan-forced. Line a large oven tray with non-stick baking paper. Grease and dust with cornflour, shake away excess.

2. Beat egg whites in a large bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form, gradually add both sugar, beat until dissolved between additions. When sugar is dissolved, gently fold in sifted cocoa, vinegar and chopped chocolate. (To ensure sugar is lump free place in food processor for a few pulses)

3. Spoon mixtures about 10cm circle in diameter size (adjust if needed) onto baking paper. We want the mixture to remind fairly flat so we can stack two together.

4. Place mini pavlovas in oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 120°C/100°C fan-forced. Bake for about half an hour until dry to touch. Turn oven off and cool pavlova in the oven with the door ajar.

5. To make chocolate ganache place chocolate and cream in a microwave safe container for about 2 minutes or until melted.

6. Place two Pavlovas on top of each and sandwich them with chocolate ganache. Top them with ganache, strawberries and coconut.