Strawberry Topped Chocolate Pavlova
Strawberry Topped Chocolate Pavlova with mascarpone cream and sweet, ripe strawberries is an exquisite summer dessert that is amazing with seasonal berries!
A crisp meringue shell with a marshmallow-like interior is the delicious base for this sweet berries and cream Pavlova Recipe!
Why You Must Make
- A pavlova makes a beautiful, elegant presentation with the chocolate meringue shell, billowy white whipped cream, and vibrant red strawberries.
- It’s just as delicious as it looks!
- My friends had never seen nor eaten a pavlova until I served this. You will wow your guests by serving a pavlova dessert.
Expert Tips
- PRO-Tip: Your egg whites must be at room temperature for the best volume.
- PRO-Tip: Your bowl and beaters must be scrupulously clean. Any speck of oil will prevent the whites from beating properly.
- In the same vein, there must be no egg yolk in the whites. The fat in the egg yolk will also prevent the whites from beating properly.
- Use superfine sugar to help the sugar dissolve into the whites. You can make your own by whizzing regular, granulated sugar in a food processor.
- PRO-Tip: Do not overbeat your egg whites (they should never look dry) or your pavlova will crack.
- PRO-Tip: Never beat your whites higher than low or medium. This takes patience, but over-whisking will cause your pavlova to crack and collapse.
- Add your sugar slowly. Begin when the egg whites just become soft and foamy. If you feel any granules of sugar in your meringue, it will cause your baked pavlova to weep (develop water droplets on the surface). This can also occur when baking on a humid day.
- PRO-Tip: Use a dab of the egg white mixture under each corner of the parchment paper so it adheres to the baking sheet.
- After the hour of baking, turn off the oven, open the door, and let the meringue cool off in the oven. PRO-Tip: If you decide to store the pavlova in the oven, put a reminder note on the oven door so you don’t accidentally turn on the oven (been there, done that!).
Chocolate Pavlova Recipe
The first pavlova I ever made was Nigella’s chocolate pavlova with raspberries (recipe link below). I added some cocoa powder and semisweet chocolate to the meringue, then topped the crispy shell with a heavenly cloud of whipped cream and loads of ripe red raspberries. The family was instantly smitten.
The recipe morphed. Any kind of berries was fair game. And then I added some mascarpone to the cream topping. It was now even more swoon-worthy. When I hit the market this week, the raspberries were sad and pale, but the strawberries were luscious and fragrant. A strawberry topped chocolate pavlova would be on our menu. Another winner!
Frequently Asked Questions
A pavlova is a large meringue covered with cream and fruit. It was named for Anna Pavlova, the famous ballerina who visited Australia and New Zealand in the 1920s. Both countries would love to take credit for inventing the recipe. New Zealand seems to have gotten the edge in this contest as they have the first published recipe from the 1920s It wasn’t until 1940 for Australia’s first cookbook entry.
Pavlova and Meringues are both egg white desserts. Meringue cookies, though, have a completely different texture compared to a pavlova. The cookies are crisp all the way through and will melt in your mouth. A pavlova has what Nigella Lawson calls “a squidgy” interior, chewy and marshmallow-like. The exterior of a pavlova, though, is crisp.
You May Also Like:
These recipes with egg whites are terrific when you’ve made a custard or creme brulee that uses only yolks and there are leftover whites.
- Strawberry & Mascarpone Pavlova Recipe from Saving Room for Dessert
- Strawberry Pavlova
- Chocolate Raspberry Pavlova
- And for Christmas, try this beautiful Wreath Pavlova
- More of the Best Dessert Recipes
Chocolate Pavlova Recipe
A large cocoa meringue topped with whipped mascarpone cream and sliced ripe strawberries
Ingredients
- 6 egg whites, at room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups superfine sugar (Domino brand has their version with the regular sugars)
- ¼ cup good quality cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon raspberry or balsamic vinegar (I used black currant balsamic vinegar)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- ½ cup Mascarpone cream
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 4 cups sliced strawberries, gently tossed with a tablespoon of sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º. Line the baking sheet with parchment. Draw a 9-inch circle on parchment, then flip the paper over. Set aside.
- Beat the egg whites till soft peaks form. Add salt, then slowly add the sugar, while continuing to beat, until the meringue is stiff and glossy. Sift cocoa powder over the meringue, then add vinegar, vanilla, and chopped chocolate. Fold well till combined.
- Pile the meringue onto the baking sheet, keeping it within the 9-inch circle. Smooth the top and edges with an offset spatula.
- Place in oven and immediately decrease the temperature to 300º.
- Bake for 1-1¼ hours till dry on edges and top. Pavlova will appear cracked.
- Turn off the oven, open the oven door, and allow it to cool completely.
- To serve, carefully flip onto the serving plate. Whip cream with powdered sugar, and vanilla. Fold in mascarpone. Top pavlova with whipped cream, then sliced strawberries.
Notes
Make sure all your utensils are free from oil and grease or the egg whites won't whip properly. This includes contamination from egg yolk, which contains fat.
Recipe adapted from Nigella Lawson.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
10Serving Size:
1 sliceAmount Per Serving: Calories: 443Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 74mgSodium: 196mgCarbohydrates: 49gFiber: 2gSugar: 45gProtein: 5g
55 Comments on “Strawberry Topped Chocolate Pavlova”
yes, yes yes to a good pavlova, any time, and this one is definitely a must make. It looks incredible!!
Liz, I spotted the photo of this earlier today on FB and my jaw dropped. YUM! I’ve had pavlova many times, but never chocolate. Brilliant. And it’s so pretty with the fresh summer berries. 🙂 ~Valentina
What a lovely summery dessert. (Thanks for the smoked Cheez-it link!) I looked at that one but I guess I didn’t scroll far enough down for the recipe! Doh!
I made this for a friend’s shower and everyone loved it!
First time making a pavlova- great recipe!
Everyone in my house loved it! Such a gorgeous dessert!
This looks too good!! I love it!!!
very beautiful story and chocolate? thats a delicious change and bonus for this creative recipe!
Help? What’s the trick? The first few times I made this recipe, it turned out the perfect shape and thickness. Looked and tasted ou of this world. This year I can’t for the life of me figure out why it spreads out to the size of a large pizza!! 4 times it’s happened. Still chewy on the inside and tastes good but i can’t figure out what I’m doing wrong. I add superfine sugar, large spoon full at a time allowing to incorporate in between. Never seem to lose at least some grainy feel to final egg white mixture. It’s thick and glossy. Piles up easily on parchment (4″ high perhaps, 8-9″ wide). Start at 375, reduce to 300. 1 1/4 hours later, its near flat. I’m using a different “high quality” cocoa, but could that be it? Just used Hershey’s before.
Hi, Mary! That sure is puzzling as it sounds like you’re doing everything right. I start at 350, not 375, but again, I don’t think that should cause a collapse. My only suggestion would be to make sure your egg whites are at room temperature, whiz your superfine sugar in the food processor to make it even finer. That should prevent overbeating which may contribute to the collapse according to this article: http://www.taste.com.au/how+to/articles/2363/complete+guide+to+pavlova (http://www.taste.com.au/how+to/articles/2363/complete+guide+to+pavlova)
I hope this helps!
It’s a mystery. Thanks for your comments. Whites room temp and sugar is superfine. Read a tip that it could be my balsamic vinegar not acidic enough. Really the only thing I changed was the cocoa. Using Rodelle. May I ask how long you find that you usually have to beat the egg whites once you start you adding sugar ? My final mixture is quite thick but still glossy.
This must be so frustrating. I’d say it’s all blended in in maybe 3-4 minutes. I usually put in one tablespoon at a time, but have found I can still feel a few sugar granules if I check, too. Please let me know if you ever figure it out!
I agree — the best recipes come from the heart! Thank you for sharing this delightful treat with all of us!
Ok, that’s it. I NEED to try a pavlova this year!
This looks lovely! And I love to hear your family history! So intriguing!
Liz,pavlova looks yummy.happy new year
What a beautiful tribute to your mom! Ok, I have always be intimidated but you are inspiring me to try to make pavlova now! I love this!
Oh my gosh, oxtail soup! My mom used to make it all the time (I’m from the mid-west too) This dessert is beautiful!
Beautiful dessert. Anything with strawberries is my favorite!
What a fun story about your mom and the likes and differences between yours and Bill’s families. Once you two got married, I bet Bill had to learn how to eat all over again. 🙂 Pavlova is something that has always interested me. It’s such a curious treat being that it’s a meringue but is so much more. Your first one turned out beautiful and I would love to have it gracing my table right now. Of course I would have the only fork. 🙂
Thank you for sharing your precious family memories along with this beautiful dessert. Love the wine pairings also!
What a beautiful pavlova! Gorgeous!
What a gorgeous pavlova! Simply perfect.
I’ve been thinking of you Liz! Thank you for sharing your memories, and this pavlova looks wonderful!
Another show stopper! Mark and I grew up similarly but our mothers each had their own style and so we didn’t eat a lot of the same foods, except for those Lenten Wednesdays and Fridays…to this day we both decline tuna and fishsticks as both our families thought those were true Lenten sacrifice meals…and I guess they were…lol! 🙂
I loved this post, Liz. Great story, great photos, great recipe! xox
What a sweet story about your mom! 🙂 I’ve never had a chocolate pavlova, but this one looks fabulous with those beautiful strawberries on top. 🙂
so fun to read about yours and your hubby’s culinary upbringings! Mine was more like his-not surprisingly. However, no pavlova for poor Kayle. I’ll need to rectify that because it looks AMAZING
One of my favorite desserts! Lovely!
Pavlova always reminds me of a girl I became friends with one summer. She was married to a guy that worked with my then husband, and was from England. She taught me my love for red wine and most of all pavlova. I have never made one myself, but after seeing yours I really really want to!!
I know your mom was an amazing woman, cook and baker. You’ve taken after her well. Your chocolate pavlova looks incredible!
Such an elegant way to end the day.
I haven’t made a pavlova since high school!
It’s beautiful & looks amazing!
I have often admired pavlovas, and eaten them once or twice, but now of course I must make one myself! Love your tribute to your mom.
I really enjoyed reading the story of your mamam. It is true that is fortunate to have had a mother loves cooking and the details of a pretty table.
I try to do once Pavola and I’m not successful. It’s a dessert so pretty that I would love to do once ! yours looks gorgeous, I’m sure it was very good !
This post, this pavlova is filled with so much heart, Liz…It must have been a challenge writing this piece. But it is beautiful like your artistic, gourmet mother and you!
Hugs to you, my friend. And that’s it, I must make pavlova! Maybe for Easter!
The prettiest pavlova! I adore the mascarpone and strawberry topping!
Hi Liz, love the stories about your family, your mother sounds like she really enjoyed raising her family. Beautiful dessert, your berries are gorgeous!
What a great story and I can read the love you have in your heart for your mom! This dessert is beautiful and I said it once before today, I’d any dessert you make! xo
Pavlova is one of my favorite desserts! I have yet to try a chocolate version, yours looks absolutely stunning and I can’t wait to try it!
Lizzy, I love your stories. What a great theme for this Sunday’s Supper. Your pavlova is beautiful! I have not had much luck with meringue. I tried making meringues once and the experience was so awful I never attempted it again. I should probably get over that, because I know I’m missing out on some great desserts! Well, I concurred my fear of baking with yeast, so I think I will try again.
Thank you for sharing this special recipe with us. Wishing you a very lovely weekend.
Toodles,
Tammy<3
This looks so amazing! I am going to take it to my mom’s retirement reception next week. Of course, I’ll have to get some Gallo wine since you happened to mention it! Great recipe!
This is a beautiful pavlova!!
I always have tons of whites in the freezer, and I think it’s about time I made pavlova.
If the recipe is flour less, it will be great for Passover
Pinning
Thank you for sharing memories of your sweet Mom with us…she sounds like she was an amazing woman! Love that you can make pavlova and remember sweet memories of her!!
What a beautiful dessert, Liz! I feel like a broken record saying that, but it’s true! You make the most beautiful things. Thanks for the great tips on making the pavlova. I look forward to giving it a go!
What a wonderful story and your dessert looks out of this world! It’s just gorgeous!
What an amazing woman! No wonder she raised such a wonderful and talented daughter. Love this delicious recipe!
This is my definition of a perfect dessert. (And you’ve posted it when I’ve given up sweets for Lent – oh, no!) “Smitten” is the way I feel about pavlovas, too.
The tribute to your mother is wonderful. We are all a product of our parents, and it sounds like you – creative, inspiring, talented – are very much your mother’s daughter.
What a beautiful story of growing up… makes me want to take up the piano again! And a lovely dessert recipe. Thanks for sharing such wonderful memories of your mom.
This looks SO heavenly, Liz! I love the stories behind it as well. My husband and I were also raised so differently in terms of food as kids. It always makes me laugh 🙂
What lovely tribute to your mom and families!
What lovely your mom.
My mom cooked amazing (not now because she has problems in her legs)
But I cook for her and she love it.
She adore Pavlova!
I will see your recipe.Have a nice sunday dear lizzy:))
What a fabulous dessert and sweet story to go along with it.
Very pretty! And the berries do look great too-enjoy:@)