Chocolate Pavlova with Mascarpone Cream & Raspberries
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A dream of a dessert, this chocolate pavlova features a fudgy, marshmallowy center encased in a crisp shell, all topped with rich whipped cream and fresh raspberries.
The pavlova, named after the renowned ballet dancer Anna Pavlova during her 1920s tour of Australia and New Zealand, is pure dessert magic. It features a meringue that’s crisp on the outside with a marshmallow-soft inside, usually topped with whipped cream and fresh fruit. This rich chocolate pavlova, inspired by Nigella Lawson, mixes cocoa powder and bittersweet chocolate into the meringue for a decadently fudgy base. To make it even more luxurious, I whip a little mascarpone into the cream. It’s perfect for Passover, or anytime you need a light, gluten-free dessert that’s sure to impress. I can’t wait for you to try it!
“People go WILD over this pavlova, and honestly it’s easier to make than most desserts. It truly is a showstopper. I’d give it 10 stars if I could.”
What You’ll Need To Make Chocolate Pavlova
Step-by-Step Instructions
The nice thing about pavlovas is that even though they look fancy, they are incredibly easy to make. To begin, add the egg whites to the bowl an electric mixer.
Beat until foamy and then gradually add the sugar.
Continue beating until the meringue is glossy and stiff (when you slowly lift the whisk out of the mixture, it will hold stiff peaks). Be patient; this takes 8 to 9 minutes.
Next, sift in the cocoa powder and add the chopped chocolate and vinegar.
Using a rubber spatula, fold the mixture together until no streaks of cocoa powder remain.
Mound the meringue onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and spread into a 9-inch “cake.”
Place in the oven and cook for 65 to 75 minutes, or until the meringue is puffed and crisp all over, yet still a bit wobbly underneath if you touch the center. Don’t worry if the top is cracked (or if it collapses while it cools) — this is normal and it all gets covered with whipped cream in the end.
When the meringue is cool, make the topping. In a medium bowl, combine the mascarpone cheese, heavy cream, and vanilla. Gradually add the sugar and continue beating until it holds soft, pillowy peaks.
Mound the mascarpone cream onto the meringue and gently spread it out about 1 inch (2.5 cm) from the edge (don’t worry if the meringue cracks in the process).
Top the pavlova with the raspberries and sprinkle the shaved chocolate over top.
Cut the pavlova into wedges, wiping the knife in between slices, and serve.
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Chocolate Pavlova with Mascarpone Cream & Raspberries
A dream of a dessert, this chocolate pavlova features a fudgy, marshmallowy center encased in a crisp shell, all topped with rich whipped cream and fresh raspberries.
Ingredients
For the Pavlova
- 6 large egg whites
- Pinch salt
- 1¾ cups superfine sugar (see note)
- 3 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder, such as Hershey's
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
For the Marscapone Cream
- 8 ounces (1 cup) mascarpone cheese, cold
- 1½ cups heavy whipping cream, cold
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Topping
- 1½ cups fresh raspberries
- 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, grated or shaved into curls (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a dark marker, draw a 9-inch diameter circle on the parchment paper by tracing around a 9-inch cake pan or plate. Flip the paper over so your meringue won't touch the marker.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and salt on medium speed until foamy soft peaks form, about a minute. Increase the speed to medium-high and gradually add the sugar; continue beating until stiff peaks form, 8-9 minutes. (The meringue will be glossy.)
- Pass the cocoa powder through a sieve or sifter and add to the meringue. Add the vinegar and chopped chocolate. Using a large rubber spatula, fold the mixture until well combined. It should be a light mocha color with no white or brown streaks.
- Secure the parchment paper to the baking sheet by adding a dab of meringue under each corner. Mound the meringue onto the parchment inside the circle. Using the spatula or a butter knife, spread the meringue to fill the circle. Even the top and sides just slightly -- it shouldn’t be perfectly smooth or overworked. Place in the oven and cook for 65 to 75 minutes, or until the meringue is puffed and crisp all over, yet still a bit wobbly underneath if you touch the center. Don't worry if the top is cracked -- that's normal and it all gets covered with whipped cream in the end. Turn off the oven, prop the oven door open, and leave the meringue in the oven to cool to room temperature, at least 30 minutes. (The meringue won’t collapse as much if it cools gradually.)
- Before serving, carefully peel the meringue off of the parchment paper and place it on a serving platter. In a medium bowl, beat the mascarpone cheese, heavy cream, and vanilla on medium speed until just combined. Gradually add the sugar and continue beating until it holds soft, pillowy peaks. Do not overbeat; it should not be too stiff or grainy. Mound the mascarpone cream onto the meringue and gently spread it out about 1 inch from the edge (don't worry if the meringue cracks in the process). Top the pavlova with the raspberries and sprinkle the shaved chocolate over top. Cut the pavlova into wedges, wiping the knife in between slices, and serve.
- Note: If you don't have superfine sugar, place regular granulated sugar in a food processor and pulse until fine, about 30 seconds.
- Note: This pavlova can be made ahead and assembled up to 12 hours ahead of time. Keep in the refrigerator.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (10 servings)
- Calories: 429
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated fat: 15 g
- Carbohydrates: 51 g
- Sugar: 47 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Sodium: 136 mg
- Cholesterol: 74 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Hi Jenn! I want to make this for Passover, but with a meat meal, so I’m looking for a non dairy filling. I was thinking of using coconut cream whipped cream, but it will be much thinner than the mascarpone cream. Do you have any suggestions?
Hi Carol, If you use coconut whipped cream it may be a bit thinner, but because it’s more of a pretty (and tasty) topping than anything else, it should be fine. Hope you enjoy!
Always a crowd pleaser!
I’m making this for a dinner party tomorrow.
How many individual
Pavlovas would it make? Also, how long do I bake them?
Linda
Hi Linda, So sorry I’m too late to reply. Did the individual pavlovas turn out?
I just made the full size. Please let me know about individual size and bake time for the future.
Thanks Jenn!
I hope it came out nicely. I haven’t made these in mini form. The baking temperature should remain the same, but I’m not sure what the cooking time will be; it will be shorter but it depends on the size of the Pavlovas. (Just keep a close eye on them.)
Good morning – I just wanted to say how much I love this, and every recipe of yours that I try! This week, I made this chocolate pavlova for Christmas dessert. I also made your ginger cookies, and hoisin pork stir fry for Christmas Eve dinner. I also delivered your butternut toffee crunch and sweet and spicy pecans to my very thankful neighbours! I also really enjoy how interactive and helpful this web site is. Thank you!
💗
The meringue looked beautiful when I turned off the oven, not even cracked. As it cooled though, it cracked and caved about half its height. Tasted wonderful with many compliments at church gathering. The flatness was disguised by the cream as mentioned. Any suggestions as to what I might do differently?.
Hi Shae, That’s just the nature of this meringue, so it doesn’t sound like you did anything wrong (and that’s why it’s covered with the cream topping). 🙂
Hi Jenn, I would like to make this recipe for a dinner party. I get stressed out easily and was wondering if I could bake the meringue the night before. Then the day of the dinner, I would make the topping and assemble everything a couple of hours beforehand?
Hi Marianne, yes, that would be fine. If you’d like you can make the whole thing up to 12 hours ahead. Hope everyone enjoys!
I have made this twice and both times the same thing has happened – my meringue spreads like CRAZY in the oven, it spreads and goes way past the 9 inch circle. Once I get the stiff glossy peaks (after about 9-10 minutes of stand mixer beating), I try and fold in the cocoa as gently and as quickly as possible to avoid ruining the consistency but mixing those ingredients in inevitably makes the meringue less firm/stiff… I don’t see how I can get rid of the cocoa streaks without folding/mixing the way I do… should I use the stand mixer after having added the cocoa, vinegar and chocolate, to get some air back in? The taste is great but I don’t understand why my pavlova gets so much larger than your pics. I’m thinking of halving the recipe next time, just so it can fit in a normal sized serving plate lol!
I’m sorry to hear that you’ve struggled with this! I’ve found it’s normal for the meringue to spread a fair amount. (It can easily spread to 11 inches in diameter.) Also, I use a really big serving plate. That said, are you passing the cocoa powder through a sieve? And are you using super fine sugar?
I’m wondering if I can make this with a carton of bought egg whites?
While technically it may work, I think you’ll get much better results from regular eggs so I’d suggest going that route.
This is absolutely delicious, I had a large crowd so made two and stacked them with cream in between and on top. It was a huge hit. Please post a recipe for a regular pavlova or meringue, too, that can be served with whipped cream and lemon curd or macerated berries. 🙂
This is a hit every time… my family begs me to make it all the time 😍🤩; very easy to make with simple ingredients.
PASSOVER-PALOOZA!!!!!!!! Jennifer – WOW!!!!
Baked this for Passover and your dessert LITERALLY STOPPED THE CONVERSATION!!!!!!!!!! At a seder!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Filled with people who love to talk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OH MY GOSH YOU DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Everyone went NUTS.
That one guest who is, let’s just say not overflowing with compliments – COMPLIMENTED IT.
My husband inhaled the leftovers and said he couldn’t stop himself. WOW!
ANYBODY reading this who is considering “do I make this” should MAKE THIS.
Primary reason that brings me back to your blog & cookbooks repeatedly is that your directions are excellent and enable me to produce something that looks like your picture & is delicious. This recipe is the first time I ever had a question in the recipe – and it comes down to when you are beating the mascarpone & heavy cream. I was not sure how long to beat it, and it kept looking liquidy that I checked my measurements probably 5 or 6 times – and it turns out that it took a few minutes to get the right consistency. You may want to adjust that in the blog – though apparently 275 other people didn’t have the problem – but if one does maybe another will? Anyway I read through comments to see if there were any reader tips, and since it didn’t come up I’m sharing it here with others.
Gorgeous presentation – I’ll tag you on Instagram. THANKS for upleving our already special seder!