As we tentatively edge towards the summer, I’m going through a summery dessert phase. Things that give you a great sweet hit, but without being too heavy. Intense, but light.
So when it came to baking with Baileys I dismissed heavy brownie, cupcake and cheesecake recipes. I wanted something that would wow, but not leave everyone sleepily full. So after a little thinking, research and trial and error, I put together this pavlova recipe.
This still involves baking, but on a low heat, so it won’t make your kitchen stiflingly warm, is still full of flavour, booze and calories, but is lighter on the tummy.
Baileys Hazelnut and Chocolate Pavlova
Ingredients
250g caster sugar
3tsp cocoa powder
4 egg whites
1 pinch of salt
2tsp cornflour
1tsp white wine vinegar
300ml double cream
50 ml Baileys
30g chopped hazelnuts
Dark chocolate for grating
Method
Put the oven on to preheat – Gas Mark 4/180ºC.
Take a sheet of baking parchment and draw a circle on it, or square if that’s your preference, I used a 20cm cake tin.
After weighing your sugar, put the cocoa powder in the same bowl and stir. You’ll need this later.
Put the egg whites in a bowl with a pinch of salt and beat into stiff peaks.
Then add half the sugar/cocoa mixture and beat, before adding the second half and mixing til completely combined.
Discard the whisk and reach for a clean metal spoon. Sift over the cornflour, add the vinegar and gently fold.
Spread the meringue mixture onto the parchment (you could do two smaller discs and make a sandwich, or just one thicker layer).
Pop into the oven, which you should turn down to Gas Mark 3/150ºC and leave to bake for 1 hour. Resist opening the door/poking it. Once the hour has passed, switch off the oven and leave the meringue to cool.
In the meantime, beat the double cream until it’s lightly whipped and add the Baileys. Combine until the cream is a good thick whipped consistency.
Once the meringue is cool, place onto a plate and gently peel off the parchment. Top with the whipped cream.
Cover with grated chocolate and chopped hazelnuts.
And enjoy! I’d suggest serving it gently chilled, in the sunshine, after a barbecue. Perfect.
With thanks to Baileys for the bottle of liqueur to play with. And to Stretford Sip Club for helping me with the consumption of the pavlova. Well someone had to…
