Chocolate Raspberry Pavlova

Serves 8-10

Ingredients

Meringue

• 6 egg whites
• 300g castor sugar
• 3 tbs cocoa powder, sifted
• 1 tsp Balsamic or red wine vinegar
• 50g dark chocolate, finely chopped

Topping

• 500g double cream
• 500g raspberries

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C
2. line a baking tray with baking paper
3. Beat egg whites until satiny peaks form
4. beat in the sugar a spoonful at a time until stiff and shiny
5. Sprinkle over the cocoa and vinegar, and the chopped chocolate
6. Gently fold everything until the cocoa is thoroughly mixed in
7. Mount onto the tray in a fat disc, approx. 23cm in diameter, smoothing the sides and top
8. Place in the oven then immediately reduce the temperature to 150 degrees C and cook for about 60-75 minutes
9. It should look crisp around the edges and sides and be dry on the top, but when prodding the centre, it should be squidgy
10. Turn off the oven and open the door slightly to let the chocolate disc cool completely
11. When ready to serve, invert onto a big, flat bottomed plate
12. Whisk the cream until thick but soft and pile onto the meringue
13. Scatter over the raspberries
14. Coarsely grate the chocolate and sprinkle over the top