Chocolate pavlova

This chocolate pavlova, with its crunchy exterior and decadently soft, marshmallow-like interior, topped with dark chocolate cream, is a stunning dessert perfect for true chocolate lovers.

Why you should make this chocolate pavlova recipe

• Made with Dark Chocolate – Egg whites can be delicate and challenging to work with when adding chocolate, as they don't like fats. This easy foolproof pavlova recipe uses melted chocolate that you can easily swirl into the egg whites just before baking.
• Great for Special Occasions – Just like Mini pavlova, this easy chocolate pavlova has a festive look, making it a beautiful addition to your dinner table for special occasions.
• Customizable to Your Taste – If you find the meringue and chocolate cream too sweet, you can substitute the dark chocolate cream with lightly sweetened or even unsweetened whipped heavy cream, whipped to medium or stiff peaks. Additionally, if you're wondering what to do with leftover egg yolks, I suggest making an easy Lemon curd that you can use as a spread for your morning French toast or as a topping for your breakfast yogurt.

Why to use Swiss meringue instead of French meringue

Swiss meringue is easy to make and is more stable than French meringue. It's also less prone to overwhipping, and there's no need for an instant-read thermometer to check the temperature of the egg whites.

However, if you prefer, you can certainly use the French meringue for pavlova. You won't even need to adjust the ingredient quantities, but it's important to use room-temperature egg whites.

Are you looking for more chocolate desserts? Look no further! Check out these Chocolate pound cake and Chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting, or these Chocolate crinkle cookies.

Ingredients you will need

For the Swiss meringue

• Egg whites – No need to bring the egg whites to room temperature because we're going to heat them in a double boiler anyway.
• White granulated sugar
• Salt
• Lemon juice
• Vanilla extract
• Cornstarch
• Chocolate – Since pavlova is a very sweet dessert, I recommend using semi-sweet chocolate instead of milk chocolate.

For the chocolate crèmeux

• Egg yolks – The beauty of this double chocolate pavlova recipe is that you don't waste the egg yolks. It took me some time to decide which cream to use as a topping, and chocolate crèmeux seems to be the best choice for this recipe because you can use the egg whites for the meringue and the egg yolks to make the cream.
• White granulated sugar
• Whole milk
• Heavy cream
• Cornstarch
• Salt
• Chocolate – Use semi-sweet chocolate chips or finely chopped chocolate bar.

Cooking tips

• Don't overheat the egg custard for the cream – Avoid overheating the egg custard for the cream. Excessive heat can cause the egg yolks within the mixture to scramble. To prevent this, cook it over medium-low heat while continuously whisking until it reaches a thick and smooth consistency. Or you can check the temperature of the mixture with an instant-read thermometer. It should be 180F - 185F or 82C - 85C.
• Prepare the cream in advance – Chocolate crèmeux needs time to stabilize and thicken, making it suitable for piping. While you can chill it in the fridge or briefly in the freezer while your pavlova bakes and cools, I recommend making the cream in the evening and leaving it in the fridge overnight. This way, you can focus on perfecting your meringue the next day.
• Dissolve sugar completely in the meringue – Ensure that the sugar is fully dissolved before whipping the meringue. Undissolved sugar can result in a grainy texture in the meringue mixture and, during baking, may cause excess moisture in your pavlova. To prevent this, heat the egg whites sufficiently to dissolve the sugar granules. If you prefer to use an instant thermometer, the egg whites should reach at least 130F or 55C.
• Be patient – While it might be tempting to speed up the process of whipping the meringue and baking and cooling your chocolate pavlova, patience is key to achieving the best results and texture. Good things take time!

How to make pavlova with chocolate

Make the chocolate cream

1. In a saucepan, combine all the crèmeux ingredients except the chocolate. Whisk to combine.
2. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking continuously until the mixture reaches 180F - 185F or 82C - 85°C.
3. Remove from the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes. Then, add the chocolate and whisk until it melts, and the mixture becomes homogeneous.
4. Pass the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap, ensuring it touches the chocolate crèmeux, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Whip up Swiss meringue

1. Place the egg whites and sugar in a mixing bowl and place the bowl over a saucepan with slightly simmering water. Heat the mixture, stirring continuously until the sugar has dissolved.
2. Add the salt, vanilla, and lemon juice. Whip, gradually increasing the speed until stiff peaks form. The meringue should be shiny, thick, and hold its shape well. 
3. Sift in the cornstarch and fold it in with a rubber spatula.

Bake and assemble pavlova cake

1. Preheat the oven to 215F (100C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Spoon out the meringue onto the parchment paper and shape it into a circle. Drizzle the melted chocolate on top of the meringue. 
3. Using a toothpick or the tip of an offset spatula, swirl the chocolate into the meringue. Adjust the shape to your liking, but make sure the top is flat so you can pipe the cream on top later.
4. Place the baking sheet with your pavlova on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 2 hours. 
5. Turn off the oven, crack open the door, and let the meringues cool down to room temperature like that. 
6. When at room temperature, place the chocolate crèmeux into a piping bag fitted with a nozzle of your choice. Decorate the pavlova to your taste and serve.

Possible variations

Another cream – Heavy whipping cream, mascarpone with whipped cream, or well-known cream cheese frosting will be an amazing addition to your pavlova.

Cocoa powder – Dust unsweetened cocoa powder over your pavlova to add an extra layer of chocolate flavor and an elegant touch.

Fresh berries – The tartness and vibrant colors of the berries create a contrast to the sweet meringue and creamy topping, making your dessert even more visually appealing and delicious. 

Freeze dried berries – Make chocolate raspberry pavlova by sprinkling freeze dried raspberries over the chocolate cream.

FAQ

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Recipe card

Chocolate Pavlova

This chocolate pavlova, with its crunchy exterior and decadently soft, marshmallow-like interior, topped with dark chocolate cream, is a stunning dessert perfect for true chocolate lovers.

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 4 hours hours

Total Time: 4 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 410kcal

Author: Anna

Equipment

• Digital kitchen scale
• Saucepan
• Stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or hand mixer and a large mixing bowl
• Parchment paper
• Piping bags
• Piping nozzle

Ingredients

For the Chocolate Meringue

• 3 egg whites from large eggs approximately 100g, can be cold
• 200 g granulated sugar
• A pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoon cornstarch
• 30 g semi-sweet chocolate chips melted and cooled to room temperature

For the Chocolate Crèmeux

• 3 egg yolks from large eggs or 40g egg yolks
• 40 g sugar
• 100 ml milk
• 100 g heavy cream
• 5 g cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 120 g semi-sweet chocolate chips

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

For the chocolate crèmeux

• In a saucepan, combine all the crèmeux ingredients except the chocolate. Whisk to combine.
• Cook over medium-low heat, whisking continuously until the mixture reaches 180F - 185F (82C - 85C) and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. If you don't have an instant-read thermometer, cook until the mixture has thickened but still smooth. Don't let it boil!
• Remove from the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes. Then, add the chocolate and whisk until it melts, and the mixture becomes homogeneous.
• Pass the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap, ensuring it touches the chocolate crèmeux, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

For the chocolate meringue

• Preheat the oven to 215F (100C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Place the egg whites and sugar in a mixing bowl and place the bowl over a saucepan with slightly simmering water (double boiler). Make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water. Heat the mixture, stirring continuously until the sugar has dissolved. To check, rub a little bit of the mixture between your fingers. If you don't feel sugar crystals and the mixture is warm to touch, it's ready to be whipped.
• Add the salt, vanilla, and lemon juice. Whip, gradually increasing the speed from medium-low to high in a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or use a hand mixer) until stiff peaks form. The meringue should be shiny, thick, and hold its shape well. The whole process can take up to 15 minutes.
• When done, sift in the cornstarch and fold it in with a rubber spatula.
• Spoon out the meringue onto the parchment paper and shape it into a circle. Drizzle the melted chocolate on top of the meringue.
• Using a toothpick or the tip of an offset spatula, swirl the chocolate into the meringue. Adjust the shape to your liking, but make sure the top is flat so you can pipe the cream on top later.
• Place the baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 2 hours. Then, turn off the oven, crack open the door, and let the meringues cool down to room temperature like that. The parchment paper should peel off the pavlovas easily.
• When at room temperature, place the chocolate crèmeux into a piping bag fitted with a nozzle of your choice. Decorate the pavlova to your taste and serve.

Video

Notes

Store pavlova shell at room temperature for up to 2 days.

The cream can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Chocolate Pavlova

Serving Size

 

1 serving

Amount per Serving

Calories

410

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

19

g

29

%

Saturated Fat

 

11

g

69

%

Trans Fat

 

0.02

g

Polyunsaturated Fat

 

1

g

Monounsaturated Fat

 

6

g

Cholesterol

 

120

mg

40

%

Sodium

 

237

mg

10

%

Potassium

 

220

mg

6

%

Carbohydrates

 

56

g

19

%

Fiber

 

2

g

8

%

Sugar

 

51

g

57

%

Protein

 

6

g

12

%

Vitamin A

 

415

IU

8

%

Vitamin C

 

0.4

mg

0

%

Calcium

 

61

mg

6

%

Iron

 

2

mg

11

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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