My Dad used to make this chocolate pavlova for every single special occasion when I was growing up! It has a crisp and chewy chocolate meringue filled with rich pockets of dark chocolate, layered with whipped cream and fresh raspberries. It’s the perfect extra special and decadent twist on this Aussie summer classic.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ pav was a real hit! the dark chocolate tames the sweetness down. just delicious! – bridget
When I was a kid, Dad did all the cooking at home. He loved food and trying new things, even if we didn’t always love his creations. He was often inspired by the TV chefs that dominated daytime programming in the early 2000s.
This particular recipe was inspired by Nigella Lawson but became Dad’s signature dessert. It was the thing we got excited about eating for every special occasion and I still love to make it for Christmas.
While a pavlova is traditionally a light and fresh dessert, this one is more decedent. The chocolate adds a little more heaviness but it still has the light and crispy outside and marshmallowy middle that you expect.
Load it up with whipped cream (I use dairy free) and top it with fresh raspberries which balance out the rich dark chocolate, making this the ultimate impressive dessert.
What is a pavlova
There is a pretty big argument around whether pavlova is a dessert originally from Australia or New Zealand. All I know for sure is that for those of us lucky enough to grow up down under, we have eaten our fair share of pavs.
A pavlova is a big meringue disk that’s light and crispy on the outside and soft, chewy and marshmallowy on the inside. It’s then topped with piles of whipped cream and fresh fruit.
They are a summer staple for special occasions, and represent family get-togethers and eating too much.
Key Ingredients
If you’ve made a pavlova before, then you’ll be familiar with the ingredients needed to get that perfect texture just right.
Note all ingredients and their quantities are laid out in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Egg whites – for the best meringues you want to use room temperature egg whites, however eggs are easier to separate when they are cold. So separate first, then allow the whites to come to room temperature.
- Caser sugar/superfine sugar – you can use regular white sugar/granulated sugar but caster sugar will dissolve better into the meringue which is essential to prevent them from ‘weeping’.
- Vanilla – optional but I always like to add it to enhance the flavour.
- Cream of tartar – is used to stabilise the egg whites and creates that perfect texture in the middle.
- Cornflour – also known as corn starch in the US. This works with the cream of tartar to ensure that soft, marshmallow centre for the pavlova.
- Cocoa powder – always use a good quality cocoa powder a rich chocolate flavour. I’ve used Cadbury Bournville cocoa powder my entire life because it’s made from the same beans Cadbury uses to make their chocolate so you know it’s going to taste good. For those in the US, this is a Dutch-processed cocoa powder.
- Dark chocolate – use a good quality 70% dark chocolate for the best flavour and also to ensure this pav remains dairy free.
- Cream – I absolutely love the Flora Plant Based Thickened Cream because it’s the only dairy free cream I’ve found that actually whips into stiff peaks. My dairy eating family tell me it’s a little lighter in texture than regular cream, but tastes great. You can also use whipped coconut cream for topping.
- Raspberries – really any fruit you like, especially berries, will work. But Dad and Nigella used raspberries so that’s what I always use.
Step-By-Step Instructions
To make this pavlova, you have to start with the meringue base. I recommend doing this the day before you plan to serve it so you can let the meringue cool overnight.
Step 1: Start by separating the eggs, making sure there is no yolk at all contaminating the whites as this will prevent the whites from whipping up. This step is best done with fresh eggs straight from the fridge, then allow the whites to come to room temperature.
To make the meringue I like to use a stand mixer with a whisk attachment fitted, but the same results can be achieved with an electric handheld mixer as well.
Step 2: Place the egg whites and cream of tartar in the large bowl of the stand mixer. Start slowly beating the egg whites until they get white and start to form soft peaks (which means they form a peak that falls over). Be careful in this step not to over whip the eggs so that they split. If this happens, you’ll need to start again.
👉 Tip! Any grease or moisture in your bowl or on your beaters can prevent the egg whites from whipping properly, which can affect the volume and stability of your pavlova. Always use a clean, dry bowl and utensils.
Step 3: Add the sugar, 1 spoonful at a time to the egg whites as you continue to whip them until all sugar has been added and the egg white mixture is really shiny. Once the sugar has been added to the egg whites keep beating until stiff peaks form. If you’ve seen cooking shows you’ll know this is when you can turn the bowl upside down over your head and the egg whites don’t move!
👉 Tip! Rub a little of the mixture between your fingers to make sure all the sugar as been dissolved.
Step 4: Sift the cocoa powder and cornflour into the bowl with the egg whites along with the chopped chocolate and vanilla and fold through carefully with a spatula being careful to not deflate the mixture.
Step 5: Turn the meringue mixture out onto a large baking tray lined with baking paper and shape into a round, flat disk approx. 20cm in diameter.
👉 Tip! Trace a 20 cm (8 inch) cake pan onto the piece of baking paper, turn it over and place it on your tray. You now have a guide for the perfect size!
Step 6: Place the meringue into a preheated oven and immediately turn down the temperature and bake for about an hour or until the outside is crisp and firm but the inside remains soft. Once cooked, turn off the oven and let the meringue cool completely.
Step 6: When ready to serve, whip some cream (dairy free or regular depending on dietary needs) to soft peaks. Spoon generously over the top of the base and top with fresh raspberries and extra dark chocolate.
Storage Instructions: Keep the cooked meringue in the oven until ready to serve. The meringue needs a cool, dry place to remain light and crisp, so the oven is perfect. Do not store the meringue in the fridge otherwise you’ll end up with a weeping meringue which is where droplets of moisture will leak out and it will become soft.
Once the cream has been added, the pavlova won’t keep as the cream will soak into the meringue ruining its light and crispy texture, so it’s best eaten immediately.
Sally’s Tips for Making Pavlova
Pavlova can take practise to get right as the best results are based on the method and technique more so than the ingredients. These are the best tips to keep in mind as you’re making your pav to ensure you get a perfect result every time.
- Use room temperature egg whites. Cold egg whites do not whip as well and can lead to a flatter pavlova.
- Beat on medium speed first. Starting on too high a speed creates large air bubbles which collapse in the oven.
- Add the sugar slowly. Adding it all at once prevents the sugar from dissolving properly.
- Stop whipping as soon as you reach stiff glossy peaks. Overwhipped meringue is the most common reason pavlovas collapse.
- Fold gently. Adding in the cocoa and chocolate can deflate the mixture if folded too roughly.
- Avoid opening the oven door. Meringue is sensitive to sudden temperature changes which cause them to crack and sink.
- Allow to cool COMPLETELY in the oven. This slow cooling keeps the structure stable and helps create the marshmallow centre.
Recipe FAQs
You can bake the pavlova base a day in advance and store it in an airtight container at room temperature. Top with cream and raspberries just before serving.
Yes! Mini pavlovas are so fun for parties. Simply divide the meringue mixture into smaller portions and shape individual nests on the tray. Reduce the baking time to 40 minutes, then cool in the oven as usual.
Review the tips section above. It will be due to one of these reasons, with the most common being overwhipping of the meringue (which I am guilty of doing when I don’t pay attention), and second being opening the oven door too early.
Weeping is when sugar starts to seep out from the base, making it sticky. This usually happens because of high humidity or because the sugar wasn’t fully dissolved in the meringue before baking.
If you do make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below! And tag any of your creations on Instagram with @eightforestlane as I would love to see.
More summer desserts:
Mini Pavlovas
Passionfruit Sponge Cake
Lemon and Raspberry Loaf Cake
Chocolate & Cherry Cake (Dairy-Free)
Chocolate Pavlova
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 egg whites at room temperature
- 200 grams caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon cornflour
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 50 grams dark chocolate finely chopped
- 1 cup dairy free cream whipped to soft peaks
- 1 punnet fresh raspberries
- Grated dark chocolate to finish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F). Line a large baking tray with baking paper and draw a 20 centimetre circle underneath as a guide.
- Place the egg whites and cream of tartar into the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, beat on medium speed until soft peaks form.
- With the mixer still running on medium, add the caster sugar one tablespoon at a time, waiting ten to fifteen seconds between each addition so it can dissolve properly.
- Once all the sugar has been added, increase the mixer to medium high and beat until the meringue is thick, glossy and holds stiff peaks. Stop mixing as soon as you reach this stage. If the mixture still feels gritty, beat for another twenty to thirty seconds only.
- Sift the cocoa powder and cornflour together and add to the bowl along with the chopped dark chocolate and vanilla. Gently fold everything together with a large metal spoon or spatula, stopping as soon as it is combined to keep as much air in the mixture as possible.
- Spoon the mixture onto the prepared tray using the circle as a guide. Smooth the sides and create a shallow indent on top.
- Place the pavlova into the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 120°C (250°F). Bake for one hour without opening the oven door.
- Turn off the oven and leave the pavlova inside to cool completely, which usually is a minimum of 3 hours, but overnight is best.
- To serve, spoon the whipped cream over the top and finish with plenty of fresh raspberries and extra grated dark chocolate.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a guide only and is calculated using automated online tools, therefore we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We encourage you to make your own calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe.
This recipe was originally published in December 2020 but has been updated in 2025 with more helpful information, new photos, and a slight improvement to the recipe.
Bridget says
Pav was a real hit! The dark chocolate tames the sweetness down. Just delicious!
Sally says
I’m so glad you loved this as much as I do – it really is the perfect combo!
sherry says
my fave kind of pav!