Chocolate Banana Pavlovas Recipes

COCONUT PAVLOVA WITH CHOCOLATE MOUSSE AND BANANAS

Steps:

• For meringue:
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Spread 11/2 cups coconut on large baking sheet. Toast until golden, stirring twice, about 15 minutes. Cool. Maintain oven temperature.
• Line another large baking sheet with foil. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites and next 4 ingredients in large bowl until foamy. Gradually add sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Beat in 1/4 cup boiling water, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until whites are stiff and glossy. Fold in 1 cup toasted coconut. Spoon meringue onto center of prepared baking sheet and spread to 9-inch-diameter circle with slightly raised edges. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup untoasted coconut.
• Bake meringue 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 200°F and bake until dry and crisp outside and just cooked through inside, about 1 hour. Turn off oven. Let meringue stand in oven 1 hour. Remove from oven and cool completely.
• For mousse:
• Whisk egg yolks, 2 tablespoons sugar, butter, 2 tablespoons water, and rum in medium metal bowl to blend. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water). Whisk until thermometer inserted into mixture registers 160°F, about 6 minutes. Add chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Turn off heat; leave bowl over water.
• Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add 2 tablespoons sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold 1/3 of egg whites into chocolate mixture to lighten. Fold in remaining whites. Remove from over water and let mousse cool 20 minutes.
• Beat whipping cream in large bowl until peaks form. Place meringue on platter. Spread mousse over center of meringue; top with sliced bananas. Spread whipped cream over bananas and chill at least 20 minutes and up to 3 hours.
• Sprinkle with remaining toasted coconut. Cut into wedges and serve.

CHOCOLATE PAVLOVA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C).
• Beat together egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar to soft peaks in a large bowl. Beat in sugar, about three tablespoons at a time, until stiff and glossy peaks form. Sift cocoa and cornstarch over egg whites, and gently fold in. Gently fold in vinegar, vanilla, and melted chocolate.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and spread the meringue into an eight inch circle. Bake in the center of the oven for 1 1/2 hours until the outside is crispy and the center is soft. Using a metal spatula, loosen the meringue from the parchment paper, and remove to cool on a wire rack. Allow to cool completely, about one hour.
• Whip cream with the sugar, and spread over the meringue. Arrange strawberries decoratively over the top, and drizzle with chocolate.

BANANA SPLIT PAVLOVA

Steps:

• Make the meringue: Preheat the oven to 275˚ F. Trace a 9-inch circle on a sheet of parchment paper, then flip it over and use it to line a baking sheet (you should be able to see the circle through the paper).
• Combine the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt in a large bowl and beat with a mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form, 2 to 4 minutes. With the mixer still on, gradually sprinkle in the sugar (about 1 tablespoon at a time), beating 20 to 30 seconds between additions to be sure the sugar dissolves completely. After the sugar is incorporated, continue to beat on medium speed until the meringue is very thick, shiny, stiff and totally smooth, 5 to 10 more minutes (check occasionally by rubbing a bit between your fingers to feel for any sugar granules). Add the cornstarch, vanilla and vinegar and beat to just combine, 20 to 30 more seconds.
• Mound the meringue in the middle of the traced circle on the baking sheet and spread into a 9-inch round. Make a slight indentation in the center for the toppings, then use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to make swoops in the meringue. Place in the oven on the middle rack, then immediately reduce the temperature to 225˚ F. Bake until crisp and dry, about 2 1/2 hours (do not open the oven during baking); the meringue should still be white or a very pale cream color. Turn off the oven and let the meringue cool completely in the oven, 2 to 3 hours.
• Make the toppings: Toss the strawberries and pineapple in separate small bowls with 1 teaspoon sugar each; let stand 15 to 20 minutes until juicy. In a medium bowl, whisk the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Carefully peel the meringue off the parchment and place on a platter. Top with small scoops of ice cream, nestling the banana slices between the scoops. Top with the whipped cream, strawberries, pineapple, hot fudge, cherries and peanuts.

CHOCOLATE BANANA PAVLOVAS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to very slow (120°C/100°F fan forced). Grease an oven tray. Trace four 10cm circles onto baking powder; place the paper, marked side down on a tray.
• Beat the egg whites in a small bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form; gradually add the sugar, beating between each addition; then gently fold in the cocoa. Once you have prepared the meringue mixture, it is essential that you bake it immediately, otherwise it is prone to collapsing.
• Spread the meringue mixture inside the circles on the prepared tray, and bake in the oven for about 45 minutes or until the meringues are firm; cool the meringues in the oven with the door ajar.
• Meanwhile whisk the cream cheese, cream and sifted icing sugar in a small bowl, until combined.
• Top the meringues with the cream cheese mixture and banana slices.
• Combine the extra sugar and the water in a small, heavy-based pan and stir over a low heat, without boiling, until the sugar dissolves, then bring to the boil.
• Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, without stirring, until the mixture is golden brown. Remove from the heat; and stand until the bubbles subside and the toffee runs evenly from the back of a spoon.
• Drizzle the meringues with the toffee close to serving.