Roasted Hazelnut and Espresso Tiramisu Cream Pavlova (gf)

Two layers of crisp and chewy hazelnut meringue, whipped espresso cream, fudgy chocolate sauce and praline shards: yum!

PAVLOVA 6 large egg whites

1½ cups caster sugar 1 tablespoon cornflour 2 teaspoons lemon juice 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup roughly chopped roasted hazelnuts

TIRAMISU CREAM

1 tablespoon instant espresso coffee granules

2 tablespoons boiling water 250 grams mascarpone ½ cup cream 4 tablespoons demerara sugar

⅓ cup finely grated dark chocolate

TO ASSEMBLE 300ml cream, softly whipped

Fudgy Chocolate Sauce (see recipe below)

Hazelnut Praline (see recipe below)

PAVLOVA: Trace a 20cm-diameter circle on two sheets of baking paper. Turn the paper over and place each one on a flat baking tray.

Preheat the oven to 120°C regular bake.

Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks, then gradually add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Whisk until thick and glossy and the sugar is dissolved. The mixture should be smooth when rubbed between your fingertips. Any undissolved sugar will cause the meringue to weep. Sift over the cornflour and add the lemon juice, vanilla and hazelnuts. Using a large metal spoon, fold into the meringue. Spoon half the meringue into the centre of each circle on your baking paper, then, using the back of a large spoon, carefully spread it to the edge of the circles, building up the sides and swirling the top, keeping the meringue as high as possible. Bake for 1 hour, alternating the trays after 30 minutes. Turn off the oven and, with the door closed, leave the meringues inside to cool completely.

TIRAMISU CREAM : Dissolve the coffee in the boiling water, then cool. Place all the remaining ingredients in a bowl, add the cooled coffee and very gently whisk until smooth. Don’t overmix or it will split and curdle. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.

TO ASSEMBLE: Gently whisk the Tiramisu Cream and softly whipped cream together to firm-ish peaks. Place one meringue on a serving plate and spread over half the cream. Top with the second meringue and dollop on the remaining cream. Drizzle with some of the Fudgy Chocolate Sauce and scatter with pieces of Hazelnut Praline. SERVES 8-10