DREAMY DESSERTS

Chocolate & peanut butter pavlova

All the components in this luscious pavlova work perfectly together; sweet and salty peanuts, crisp meringue and a creamy chocolate crémeux mixed with rich peanut butter cream. It’s a sensory delight.

SERVES 10-12 PREP 45 mins plus cooling COOK 1 hr 5 mins MORE EFFORT V

For the dark chocolate crémeux

75g whole milk
115ml whipping cream
2 egg yolks, reserving the whites for the meringue (below)
50g caster sugar
150g dark chocolate, finely chopped
60g salted butter, softened

For the meringue

3 large egg whites
200g caster sugar
1 tsp white wine vinegar
2 tsp cornflour
50g dark chocolate, melted and cooled

For the candied peanuts

100g shelled peanuts, regular or roasted
60g granulated sugar

For the peanut butter cream

100g white chocolate, roughly chopped
100g smooth peanut butter
25g cold salted butter, cut into cubes
225ml double cream dark chocolate shavings, to serve (optional)

1 First, make the crémeux. Bring the milk and cream to the boil in a small saucepan, whisking occasionally. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a medium heatproof bowl until smooth. Pour in the hot cream mixture in a steady stream, whisking continuously until combined. Return to the saucepan, and simmer over a low heat for 3-4 mins, stirring continously until thickened to a custard.

Put the dark chocolate into a large heatproof bowl and strain the hot custard over it through a fine mesh sieve, whisking until the chocolate