A decadent, creamy and crunchy chocolate pavlova layered with chocolate ganache, chocolate cream, regular whipped cream and topped with grated chocolate. This show-stopping dessert is perfect for Christmas day or your chocoholic loved one.
This epic Chocolate Pavlova was inspired by one of my team members. Her mum made it one year for a large family Christmas - then had to make it every year for a decade because the requests just kept coming!
Once you've made this once, you'll see what the fuss is about. Light and crunchy pavlova topped with chocolate ganache and two types of cream. Is it a lot? Yes! Will you be able to stop at one small piece? Absolutely not.
If fresh fruit is more your style, be sure to check out my recipes for Mango Pavlova and Mini Tropical Pavlovas. Or for something a little different, why not try my Salted Caramel Stacked Pavlova?
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Ingredient notes:
- Caster sugar: It's important to use caster sugar over regular white sugar. Caster sugar is finer therefore it dissolves quickly and easily into the foamy meringue and helps to keep the meringue light.
- White vinegar: To stabilise the meringue, and prevent it from collapsing, you need some type of acid. That's why most meringue and pavlova recipes use white vinegar or lemon juice.
- Dark chocolate: I like to use at least 50% dark chocolate in this recipe. This is a nice balance to the sweet meringue.
Note: Scroll to the recipe card for the ingredients, quantities and the full method.
Step by step instructions:
Chocolate pavlova: Preheat the oven to 120ºC fan bake and line a tray with baking paper.
Whisk egg whites until stiff, add caster sugar 1 tablespoon at a time and keep beating until very stiff, at least 5 minutes. Add cornflour, vinegar and vanilla essence and fold together.
Sprinkle over 2 teaspoons of cocoa powder and only just fold through the meringue.
Spread mixture into a large circle on the tray, sprinkle over one more teaspoon of cocoa and use a fork to swirl it through. Create a slight crater in the centre.
Bake for 1 hour. Turn the oven off and leave the pavlova inside to cool. This can be made the day before and left in the oven overnight.
Chocolate ganache: Place the chocolate in the base of a glass bowl. Pour the cream into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate pieces then mix thoroughly until smooth and completely combined. Place in the fridge to cool until it starts to get a little firmer.
Whipped cream: In the bowl of a stand mixer whisk the cream until soft peaks form. Add the vanilla and whip until stiff.
Chocolate cream: Remove half of the whipped cream from the bowl and set aside. Keep the remaining cream in the stand mixer bowl. Pour half a cup of the chocolate ganache and gently whip until soft peaks form.
To assemble: Place the cooled pavlova on a serving platter. When the chocolate ganache is spreadable but not too runny, pour it into the crater of the pavlova and spread out.
Next place the chocolate cream on top and spread out. Finally add the regular whipped cream and spread out. Grate extra chocolate on top. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Recipe FAQs:
No! If you use a strong flavoured vinegar like balsamic or malt, this can alter the taste of the pavlova for the worse. I highly recommend you use white vinegar in this recipe.
Yes, you could use up to 72% cocoa chocolate. I quite like the balance of bitter dark chocolate with the sweet meringue.
There are a few important things to think about when making a pavlova. 1) don't over beat the egg whites. As as soon as stiff peaks form, add the sugar. 2) Allow the pavlova to cool in the oven as the oven cools, overnight is best. If you take it out straight away, the cool air can make the pavlova crack.
Storage:
Store any leftover chocolate pavlova in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
Top tips:
I highly recommend making this pavlova the night before you want to serve it. Bake the pavlova, then turn the oven off and let it cool down gently and slowly overnight. When you wake up the next day, the pavlova will be ready to go.
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Chocolate Layered Pavlova
A decadent chocolate pavlova layered with chocolate ganache, chocolate cream, whipped cream and grated chocolate.
Ingredients
Pavlova:
- 4 eggs whites
- 1 cup caster sugar
- 1 tsp cornflour
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- ½ tsp vanilla essence
- 3 tsp cocoa powder
Ganache
- 200g dark chocolate, chopped
- ½ cup cream
Whipped cream:
- 2 cups cream
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- Extra choc for grating
Instructions
- Chocolate pavlova: Preheat the oven to 120ºC fan bake and line a tray with baking paper.
- Whisk egg whites until stiff, add caster sugar 1 tablespoon at a time and keep beating until very stiff, at least 5 minutes.
- Add cornflour, vinegar and vanilla essence and fold together.
- Sprinkle over 2 teaspoons of cocoa powder and only just fold through the meringue.
- Spread mixture into a large circle on the tray, sprinkle over one more teaspoon of cocoa and use a fork to swirl it through. Create a slight crater in the centre.
- Bake for 1 hour. Turn the oven off and leave the pavlova inside to cool. This can be made the day before and left in the oven overnight.
- Chocolate ganache: Place the chocolate in the base of a glass bowl. Pour the cream into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate pieces then mix thoroughly until smooth and completely combined. Place in the fridge to cool until it starts to get a little firmer.
- Whipped cream: In the bowl of a stand mixer whisk the cream until soft peaks form. Add the vanilla and whip until stiff.
- Chocolate cream: Remove half of the whipped cream from the bowl and set aside. Keep the remaining cream in the stand mixer bowl. Add half a cup of the chocolate ganache and gently whip until soft peaks form.
- To assemble: Place the cooled pavlova on a serving platter. Pour the chocolate ganache into the crater of the pavlova and spread out. Next place the chocolate cream on top and spread out. Finally add the regular whipped cream and spread out. Grate extra chocolate on top. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 351Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 119mgSodium: 41mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 1gSugar: 26gProtein: 4g
Nutritional values are approximate. Please use your own calculations if you require a special diet.
Thank you for checking out this recipe. I hope you enjoy making and eating it! If you have any questions, queries or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below.
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Vanya
Tina says
Thank you so so much for this layered Pavlov’s recipe….
My late mother had a very similar recipe in her precious cookbook but never completed the writing down of the recipe…. I’ve searched for years trying to find it… from memory she told me it was a Hudson Halls specialty I can now use your recipe (she refused to share hers with anyone as it was a real show stopper at a dinner party) thank you again XxT
VJ cooks says
Oh that's such a beautiful story, thank you for sharing. I hope this lives up to your mum's pav, such a nostalgic dish. Happy baking!
Larissa says
This is my kind of pav! Can't wait to give this a go... Could it be assembled the day before and kept in the fridge until ready to serve?
VJ cooks says
Hi Larissa. I would recommend making all of the components the day before, but not assembling it until the day you want to serve it. Meringue can 'sweat' after being kept in the fridge. Good luck!
Nancy says
I'm looking forward to trying this! I plan to bake the meringue in the afternoon and serve it the next day in the evening.
You recommend baking it the day before and leaving it in the oven overnight. What about the rest of the day? Do I just keep it in the oven all day until I'm ready to assemble it or do I store it in some other way?
Thanks for your help.
VJ cooks says
Hi Nancy. Yes you could leave it in the oven until you're ready to make it, or store it in an airtight container if you have one big enough. You can assemble the pavlova (with the ganache and cream) and place in the fridge a few hours before serving. However, meringue will start to go soggy and the sugar in the meringue can 'bead' if it's left in the fridge for too long.
Kelly says
Can you use lemon juice if you don't have white vinegar?
VJ cooks says
Yes you could. Replace 1 tsp of vinegar with 1 tsp of lemon juice.
Karen says
About to make this... no mention if the egg whites have to be cold or room temp
VJ cooks says
I keep my eggs in the pantry, so room temperature!