Chocolate Macadamia Pavlova Stack

Chocolate Macadamia Pavlova Stack

Home cooks and food lovers across the nation are being encouraged to fly the Aussie flag this season and embrace local produce like delectable macadamias to create festive menus with a unique Australian twist.

Loaded with good fats, vitamins and minerals, macadamias add a nutritious boost to sweet and savory dishes and the creamy, buttery taste and velvet-like texture makes a tantalising treat for the taste buds too.

Our versatile delights are the best quality, best tasting macadamias on earth. Australia is the birthplace of macadamias and has been leading the world in production of the delicious premium nut for more than four decades.

Serves 8-10.

 

Top tip: make the Pavlova discs the day before, meaning one less job to do while entertaining. Simply assemble the berry macadamia stack just before serving.

 

Ingredients
4 x 700g egg whites
1 1/3 cup raw caster sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup macadamias, roasted, roughly chopped
1/4 cup macadamia meal
1/4 cup cocoa powder, sifted
600ml cream
1 teaspoon caster sugar
1 tablespoon Drambuie
2 punnets each of blueberries and raspberries
60g honey roasted macadamias (see recipe below)
icing sugar, to dust

Method

Preheat oven to 100°C fan-forced. Lightly grease and line 4 oven trays with non-stick baking paper. Using a 22cm cake pan as a guide, trace circles onto each tray.

Fill a medium saucepan one quarter full with water. Bring to boil over a medium heat, then reduce to a simmer.
To make the meringue, combine the egg whites and raw caster sugar in a heatproof bowl and place over the saucepan, being careful not to let the bowl touch the water. Whisk constantly for about 5 minutes until the sugar dissolves and the whites are warm to touch. Test the meringue by rubbing between the fingers - if it feels grainy keep whisking over the saucepan until smooth.
Transfer to the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk, initially on low speed but gradually increasing to high until stiff and glossy peaks form, about 10 minutes.
Fold through 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and the macadamias, meal and cocoa, until well combined. Divide the meringue evenly between the circles of the 4 prepared oven trays.
Bake for 1 hour, then turn the oven off but leave the meringue discs in the oven for another hour so they're dry and crisp. Remove from the oven and cool completely. Store in an airtight container until needed.
Combine the cream, caster sugar and remaining vanilla in a large bowl and whisk until stiff peaks form. Fold through the Drambuie. Place a meringue disc on a serving plate, spread with a quarter of the cream and a quarter of the berries and repeat with the remaining meringue discs and cream. Scatter the top disc with honey roasted macadamias and a dusting of icing sugar. Serve immediately.