Cherry and Chocolate Pavlova

Photography By: Leah Tamblyn

You don’t need eggs, or any animal products, to whip up scrumptious desserts! Try our cherry and chocolate pavlova made using a cruelty-free egg alternative – aquafaba, the juice that is found in a can of chickpeas. This budget-friendly and egg-free dessert costs only 68 cents per serving to make!

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 75 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Serves: 6

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup aquafaba (brine from a can of chickpeas)
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup caster sugar
  • 1 cup cherries
  • 1 tsp pomegranate molasses
  • 2 x 400ml cans of refrigerated coconut milk, using the thick cream only
  • 1/4 cup shaved dark chocolate
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
An assembly of ingredients to make a plant-based cherry chocolate pavlova.

An assembly of ingredients to make a plant-based cherry chocolate pavlova.

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C)
  2. Whisk aquafaba with hand mixer for 8-10 minutes until very stiff, then mix in apple cider vinegar, vanilla and sugar (2 tbsp at a time), until sugar is completely dissolved and meringue looks smooth and shiny with stiff peaks.
Aquafaba being whipped into a thick cream.

Aquafaba being whipped into a thick cream.

  1. Spread the whipped aquafaba onto a parchment-lined baking sheet in the shape of a large 1” thick rectangle for a single meringue, or into 6 – 5” round meringues (place as far apart as possible as they will spread as they bake). Place in the oven, lower the temperature to 212°F (100°C) and bake for 75-80 minutes until firm.
Pavlovas assembled on a baking sheet.

Pavlovas assembled on a baking sheet.

  1. While the meringues are baking, in a small pot dissolve the ¼ cup caster sugar in ½ cup of water over low heat. Add the cherries, let simmer for 10 minutes.
  2. Remove from heat, stir in the pomegranate molasses with the cherries and let cool.
A bowl of cherries.

A bowl of cherries.

  1. When the time is up, do not open the oven door. Turn the heat off and allow the oven to cool with the meringues inside. Let them sit in the oven for one hour up to (ideally) overnight to set before serving.
  2. When the meringues have set, begin assembling.
  3. Open the coconut milk and scoop out the thick cream. Set aside the liquid for another use. Whisk the creamy coconut fat for 2 to 3 minutes until smooth.
  4. Gently spread 3 tablespoons of the whipped coconut milk on top of a meringue.
  5. Strain the cherry syrup and add a spoonful of cherries on top of the whipped coconut milk.
  6. Garnish with dark chocolate shavings and more cherry syrup as desired.
A chocolate cherry pavlova, using animal-free ingredients.

A chocolate cherry pavlova, using animal-free ingredients.