Chocolate Pavlova with Berries

One of my favorite scenes in the 1989 film When Harry Met Sally is when Meg Ryan’s character Sally has the following exchange with a waitress:

Sally: I’d like the chef salad please with oil and vinegar on the side and the apple pie a la mode.
Waitress: Chef and apple a la mode.
Sally: But I’d like the pie heated, and I don’t want the ice cream on top. I want it on the side and I’d like strawberry instead of vanilla if you have it. If not, then no ice cream, just whipped cream, but only if it’s real. If it’s out of the can, then nothing.
Waitress: Not even the pie?
Sally: No, just the pie, but then not heated.
 
I laugh (my bf laughs harder) because it hits close to home. As a chef, I know how personal food can be, and admittedly, I have been known to be...particular. In my younger days, even more so.
 
As a child, soft and crunchy were too different to coexist. Foods were either soft and tender or crunchy and crisp, and never the twain shall meet. My desserts of choice had to be velvety smooth; any crispy, fruity, or even sprinkles decorated on top ruined it for me. Don’t get me started on my dislike of sweet on savory/meat.

Gradually my taste palette evolved and I became a true texture-convert due to my love for pavlova. Named after the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, this personal game-changer is a meringue-based dessert with a soft marshmallow center and crisp outer shell. The contrasting textures are brilliant—it’s a little crispy on the outside and light and airy on the inside. By the second day it loses its crispness and becomes a decadent truffle-like brownie, but still pillowy light. The recipe is adapted entirely from Smitten Kitchen. She lowered the sugar and upped the chocolate and it’s just perfect. I didn’t change a thing.

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
Number of servings: 10​

Ingredients
Meringue

• 6 large egg whites
• 1 ½ (300 grams) cups granulated sugar
• A couple pinches of sea salt
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) balsamic or red wine vinegar
• ¼ cup (20-25 grams) cocoa powder, the best you have, sifted
• 2 ounces (55 grams) semi-or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

Topping

• 1 ½ cups (355 ml) heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons (10 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
• 4 cups mixed fresh berries
• 1 ounce (30 grams) semi-or bittersweet chocolate, grated or shaved, to finish

Directions

1. Prepare your pan: Heat your oven to 350 °F. Line your largest baking sheet—it needs to hold at least a 12-inch round because these can spread; I used a pizza pan—with a sheet of parchment paper. Draw a 9-inch circle on it with a pencil and flip the paper over so that you can see the line, but it won’t get into the pavlova.  
2. Make the meringue: Beat the egg whites with a mixer until satiny peaks form and then beat in the sugar a spoonful at a time until the meringue is stiff and shiny. Sprinkle the sea salt, cocoa, vinegar and then the chopped chocolate over the egg whites and gently fold everything with a rubber spatula. You can leave it a little swirly/undermixed.
3. Shape the pavlova: You can secure the parchment to the baking sheet with a dab of meringue underneath it. Mound the meringue into the 9-inch circle, smoothing the sides and top if you desire.
4. Bake the meringue: Place in the oven and immediately turn the temperature down to 300 degrees. The pavlova will bake for 60 to 90 minutes. When it’s ready it should look crisp on top and be dry to the touch, but when you prod the center you should feel a little give beneath your fingers. Turn the oven off, leave the door slightly ajar, and let the meringue cool completely inside. You can leave it overnight. It can also be kept at room temperature until needed.
5. To serve: When you’re ready to serve, invert the cooled pavlova onto a big plate and peel off the parchment. Whip the cream with the sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form. Pile it onto the meringue. Scatter with berries and shave chocolate over with a vegetable peeler. Serve in wedges and keep leftovers in fridge.