Fair trade Cherry Chocolate Pavlova Recipe

Sundays are always my ‘domestic’ day, usually spent cleaning, washing and baking. This Sunday I was in the mood for sweet treats and decided to try out some new dessert recipes, one of which was a fair trade cherry chocolate pavlova. After ‘tweeting’ about my said culinary efforts on Monday I have had lots of fair trade enthusiast tweeple requesting the recipe, so here it is. Enjoy!

Fair trade Cherry Chocolate Pavlova

SERVES 6, PREP 20 mins plus cooling, Cook 1.5 hours

You will need:

3 large egg whites

150g/5oz Fairtrade caster sugar

1tbsp cornflour

2tsp white wine vinegar

12.5g/0.5oz Fairtrade cocoa powder

25g/1oz finely chopped dark Fairtrade chocolate

142ml double cream

1.5 tbsp Fairtrade icing sugar

300g Fairtrade cherry compote

fresh cherries, to serve

1. Heat oven to 140C/fan 120C/gas 1.

Whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Gradually whisk in the sugar, a couple of tbsp at a time, making sure you whisk really well between each addition. When all the sugar has been added keep whisking for a couple of mins until the mixture is really thick and glossy. Carefully stir in the vinegar, cornflour, cocoa powder and chocolate until incorporated.

2. Tear off a sheet of baking parchment and use to cover a baking sheet, Mark a 12cm circle on the paper. Spoon over the meringue mixture, swirling into a circle and building up the sides a little as to keep the filling in later. Cook for 1.5 hours, leave to cool.

3. When ready to serve whip the double cream together with the icing sugar in a big bowl until soft peaks form. Spoon the cherry compote over the meringue, dollop over the cream, then swirl around. Arrange a few of the fresh cherries on top as desired.

(Adapted from a BBC GoodFood recipe)