CHOC CHERRY PAVLOVA

SERVES 10 PREP + COOK 2 HOURS + COOLING

◆ 4 egg whites

◆ 1 cup caster sugar

◆ 1 tbsp cornflour

◆ 1 tsp white vinegar

◆ 100g dark chocolate, melted, cooled

◆ 250g cream cheese, softened

◆ 2 tsp vanilla extract

◆ 1/4 cup icing sugar, sifted

◆ 300ml thickened cream

◆ cherries, to serve

CHERRY BLUEBERRY COMPOTE

◆ 2 cups cherries, halved, pitted

◆ 1 cup blueberries

◆ 1/ cup caster sugar

3

◆ 1/ cup water

4

◆ 1/ cup cherry jam

4

1 Preheat oven to 120°C. Line an oven tray with baking paper. Mark an 18cm circle on paper.

2 In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, one tbsp at a time, beating until sugar dissolves and mixture is thick and glossy. Beat in cornflour and vinegar, swirl in chocolate. Dollop meringue inside marked circle on tray.

3 Bake meringue 1 ¼ hours or until dry to the touch. Turn oven off, leave meringue to cool completely in oven with door ajar.

4 CHERRY BLUEBERRY COMPOTE Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine cherries, blueberries, sugar and the water and bring to a simmer. Simmer 5 mins or until fruit has released juices. Using a slotted spoon, remove cherries and blueberries into a small bowl. Stir jam into juices in pan, bring to the boil. Boil 5 mins or until thickened. Pour syrup over cherry mixture. Cool.

5 In a small bowl, using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, vanilla and icing sugar until smooth. Gradually beat in cream until smooth.

6 Just before serving, spoon cream cheese mixture on pavlova, top with cherry blueberry compote and decorate with fresh cherries.