Hazelnut and chocolate mini pavlova

Pavlova is the perfect dessert for gatherings — light, refreshing, and built for warm weather celebrations. The crisp shell and soft, marshmallow-like centre pair beautifully with fresh seasonal fruit, making it a natural fit for long, relaxed festive lunches. Adding a variation of chocolates and hazelnuts takes this classic to a new level, bringing a touch of indulgence and richness without feeling heavy. The combination of silky chocolate, crunchy nuts, and airy pavlova creates a dessert that feels both celebratory and utterly satisfying.

Ingredients

• 80 gm Hazelnuts (skin off)

• 40 gm good quality 70% cocoa chocolate

• 4 large eggs - whites seperated

• 250 gm pure icing sugar (not icing mixture as this has cornflour in it)

• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/2 tsp white wine vinegar

Method

Place hazelnuts on a baking sheet in an oven set to 180c for 10 minutes.  Remove from the oven, let cool completely and blitz in food processor until ground quite fine, set aside.  Blitz chocolate pieces until quite fine, don't worry if there are bigger pieces, set aside.  Turn the oven down to 160c.

Whisk egg whites until they form stiff peaks, add icing sugar one dessert spoon at a time and when mixture forms glossy stiff peaks whisk in vanilla extract and vinegar.  Fold in hazelnut and chocolate until mixed through.  Line a large flat baking tray with baking paper and spoon two large deserts spoons full of mixture onto the tray and gently shape the meringue into a nest, leaving a shallow divot in the middle for the cream and berries.  This mixture makes 10 mini pavlovas.

Place the tray into the oven for 30 minutes, after 30 minutes turn the oven off and let them cool down in the oven.  

Fill the centre with whipped cream and top with your choice of mixed berries, passionfruit or some beautiful summer stoned fruits.  You can also drizzle with a lovely raspberry coulis which I simply make by blitzing a cup of raspberries with a teaspoon of reduced balsamic or saba (sweeter and less acidic), then strain the seeds out and it's ready to drizzle.

Note:  This oven timing made them quite crispy/chewy if you prefer a softer meringue turn the oven temperature down and cook for longer (120c for 70 minutes, turn oven off, open door and little and let cool down inside the oven)