Dark Chocolate and Chestnut Pavlova

This post is a thank you to the two people who have viewed our blog from New Zealand.  I do like this blog to have an international flavour.  To celebrate Christmas and all things New Zealand I decided to make a Pavlova.  There is some controversy as to the true home of Pavlova.  Both the Australia and New Zealand  have tried to claim it as their own.  The Pavlova was named after the Russian ballet dancer Anna Pavlova who visited both countries in the 1920's.  After many years of debate the Pavlova war appears to have been won, with New Zealand coming out to win the crown.

Traditional Pavlovas are made with cream and fruit such as berries of kiwis.  Sharp fruit works well as it provides a contrast to the cream and sweet meringue type base.

Because mine was eaten on boxing day I decided to give it a more Christmas/wintry taste.

Ingredients:

The whites from 5 medium eggs
1 tespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon cornflour
200g caster sugar
300g tinned unsweetened chestnut purée
400g double cream
teaspoon Vanilla essence
75g dark chocolate
Good handful of nuts such as brazil and peacan
Shot of brandy (optional)

1. Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Cover 2 baking sheets with baking parchment.
Separate egg whites from the yolks and whisk the egg whites with an electric whisk until they form stiff and shiny peaks. Gradually add the sugar a couple of tablespoons at a time and whisk really well between each addition. When all of the sugar is used up continue whisking for 3-4 minutes or until the meringue is stiff and glossy and stands up in peaks, then whisk in the cornflour and vinegar and vanilla essence.

2. Spoon the mixture onto the baking parchment and use a  knife  make two equal circles circle about 20cm in diameter. Put in the oven, turn the temperature down to 120C/fan 100C/gas 1 and cook for 1½ hours.

3. Whisk the cream, when almost whisked into the desired whipped cream consistency add the chestnut purée and continue to whisk.

4. Melt the dark chocolate in a bowel over a saucepan of hot water.  I added a shot of Brandy to the melted chocolate.

5. Carefully peel off the baking parchment and put the pavlova on a serving dish. Don't worry if it cracks (they always do).

6. Add the cream to the top of each pavlova and then sandwich together.  Add a handful of nuts ontop of the pavlova and then drizzle the melted chocolate over the top.

Alan was not here to sample my creation but my family appeared to enjoy!  I may make this a Christmas staple.