I noticed that meringues seem to be quite the pudd. of the moment on my recent trip back to the UK. I spotted several patisserie windows filled with huge piles of the almost pillow sized confections, and in many colours and flavours too – with everything from chocolate, to raspberry pink and pistachio green… Forced to take emergency measures when we first moved to Copenhagen (i.e. making my own!) it had never occurred to me to make them anything but plain. Up until now that is…
I have yet to write about our trip to the Black Forest, but needless to say we spent a lot of our time there seeking out and sampling the seventies style gateaux for which the area is so famous, and from which this dessert was inspired (and let me tell you, that well-known retro brand in the UK has a lot to answer for in quite a few instances!)…
I look on this as a summer version of a Black Forest Gateaux, as obviously in Pavlova form it’s much much lighter than the cakey version. This particular specimen was made for a friend’s barbecue a few days ago, and assembled around 5 minutes before our host very kindly came to pick us up – hence the hastily taken photo of the end result below.
Ingredients (serves 6-8)
8 large egg whites;
425g fine caster sugar;
2-3 tablespoons good quality cocoa powder;
450 mls whipping cream;
1 large jar of pitted black cherries;
1 x 100g bar good quality dark chocolate, grated.
Heat oven to 220 degrees, and in a clean bowl,whisk the egg whites until points form;
Add sugar a little at a time, until the meringue mixture is thick, glossy and stiff;
Add the cocoa powder, and mix through gently to give a marbled effect;
Line trays with baking paper, and sculpt two meringue rounds of a similar size (around 20cm each);
Place in the oven and turn down the temperature immediately to 120 degrees;
Bake for an hour and a half, then turn the oven off, and leave the meringues where they are until the oven is cool.
Whisk the cream, and stir through three-quarters of the grated chocolate (for a more grown up dessert add 2-3 tablespoons of brandy);
Carefully place one of the meringues onto a serving dish, top with half the whipped cream, and a little more than half the cherries.
Place the other meringue on top, and spread with the rest of the cream. Top with the remaining cherries and the rest of the grated chocolate.
Share with others or find a spoon big enough!
Juliette says
Do you mind if I use a mini version of these in my Tea Room in Bad Vilbel?
http://www.facebook.com/teatimeatweinliebe
My husband is a huge fan of Black Forrest Cake – made it for the first time given it was his 40th back in April. But feel like it might just hit the spot this week. A more summer version with the pavlova as the base.
bavaria says
Of course not – hope they turn out OK! Send me a pic! :)
janerowena says
Flavoured and coloured meringue desserts have been my favourites for years, and they are catching on because they have fewer calories than most desserts. Unless of course you have cream with them, or icecream, but they are fine without. Restaurants get it wrong with Eton Mess, they use far too much cream and not enough meringue.
bavaria says
Thank you Jane! Quite a lot of cream in this too, but you could use a low fat version! :)
Helen The good life mum says
i know i commented already but just wanted to say thank you for sharing this lovely treat with Bake it at The good life mum xx
bavaria says
You are very welcome! :)
coombemill says
A 1970s classic and you make it look even better than the original! Popping over from Bake it Monday
bavaria says
Thanks Fiona! All the best things come from the seventies! :D
Anneli (Delicieux) says
I love the idea of making this with meringues! I find the usual black forest gateau a little rich so this would be much better for me. You can’t beat cherries and chocolate together! Just lovely. Thanks for entering Four Seasons Food! x
bavaria says
Thank you Anneli! I love the cake version too, but thought this would be lighter during the heatwave we had! :D x
gregory urbano says
looks delicious!
bavaria says
Thanks Greg! :)
Emma @mummymummymum says
oh Emma, that looks amazing! I am rubbish at meringue though. I once cooked it for 15 minutes instead of 1 hour and 15 minutes….
bavaria says
Thank you… I bet that would still have tasted nice though?!? :D
Leslie says
Heaven!!! I’m going to give this a go. My first try with meringues didn’t turn out so good. You have inspired me to give a second try!!!
bavaria says
Thank you Leslie! Just make sure there’s absolutely no egg yolk in with the white, and you should be fine! (:
Carolin says
OMG Emma, that looks absolutely amazing. I love everything Black Forest (that refers to food only) and this looks like heaven on a plate. I’ve never made a pavlova before, but I think this one will be my first attempt…
bavaria says
Thanks Carolin, hope you like it, I am sure you will! (:
Frau Dietz says
Oh good grief. Oh good lord. NOW I KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THE REST OF MY MATERNITY LEAVE
bavaria says
Now if only I lived closer, I would make you one to save you from having to do it… How much longer do you have to go?!?!? :)
MsCaroline says
I’m just coming out of a month of summer travel and post-moving insanity, so am still catching up on my blog reading – this looks fabulous! I’m on a self-imposed penance diet after my trip home, though: shall have to bookmark this for use after I fit into my jeans again…; )
bavaria says
And when school starts back here next week, I will be doing that too! Thanks Caroline, hope you had a great trip home! :) x
Fivegoblogging says
That looks amazing and I bet was absolutely delicious :-)
bavaria says
Thank you… It disappeared quite quickly I seem to remember! :)
Helen The good life mum says
Face plant here <<< that looks divine
bavaria says
Thanks Helen! :D
Notmyyearoff says
That looks very very nice!
bavaria says
Thank you (:
Mary says
Oh dear. I seem to be drooling a little. Can I pop round for some tea and pudding? Pretty please?
bavaria says
Any time Mary, you are more than welcome! :) xx
Sarah@The View From the Table says
Oh my goodness, this looks amazing, much more appealing than the cakey version too.
bavaria says
Thanks Sarah, thought it would make a nice change! (:
Selena @ Oh, the places we will go! says
Holy cat. That looks good!!
bavaria says
Thanks Selena! Try a flødbøller when you are in DK if you’re a meringue fan! (:
Sally Sellwood (@Recipejunkie27) says
How utterly gorgeous does that look? Yes I’d never thought about making anything other than plain meringue until recently. Unfortunately I have bust my mixer, so no mreingues for us at the moment, but hopefully I’ll get it fixed soon, and then we can meringue again :-)
bavaria says
Boo to the broken mixer. Hope it gets fixed soon enough! :) x
bavaria says
Thanks for including the pavlova, I love the sound of all the other cherry dishes you have mentioned too! :)
Emma says
You are too kind, thanks so much for including me! :)