We’re bringing you an edible little twist to a chocolate coffee cocktail ahead of Mother’s Day, in the form of this boozy pavlova! The soon-to-come event centre Centrepiece at Melbourne Park has collaborated with acclaimed local pastry chef Tim Clark of Cacao to create this easy yet impressive, grown-ups only dessert. The Chocolate Cafe Pavlova is filled with your mum’s (or you mum-in-law to-be’s) favourite flavours.

Set to open in 2021, Centrepiece at Melbourne Park is conveniently centrally located in one of Melbourne’s most iconic precincts. It will feature a range of eco-friendly, Australian inspired event spaces with the Main Ballroom being the jewel in the crown. This 2000 square metre ballroom offers its own alfresco terrace and prime city skyline views; the pillarless space able to host up to 3000 guests for cocktail style weddings. Starting to plan a big, bold and beautiful wedding? Check out Centrepiece – they’ll have this pav on the menu for you to try!

Chocolate Cafe Pavlova

Ingredients

● 4 egg whites (200g)
● 2 tsp cornflour
● 1 cup caster sugar
● 30mL of espresso coffee from your favourite Melbourne roastery cooled
● 1 tsp white vinegar
● 300ml whipped cream
● 30ml of espresso coffee from your favourite Melbourne roastery
● 30ml of Baileys Irish Cream liqueur
● A handful of good quality dark chocolate shavings
● Cocoa powder (for dusting)

Method

  1. Preheat your oven to 120°C. To make meringue: place your egg whites in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until soft peaks form.
  2. Add a shot of espresso into the mix and gradually add your sugar, beating well until the mixture is glossy. Then, sift the cornflour over, add the vinegar and fold through.
  3. Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Spoon the meringue mixture onto the baking tray and create a large round mound shape approximately 18cm in diameter.
  4. With a spatula decorate the pavlova starting from the outside and working inwards pulling the meringue in a spiral motion to create the appearance of a flower.
  5. Place in the oven and bake for 1.5 hours.
  6. Once the pavlova is baked, turn the oven off but leave the pavlova inside the oven for a further 20 minutes.
  7. Remove the pavlova from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool.
  8. To serve, top with whipped cream, then drizzle over the Baileys liqueur and espresso coffee. Finish with a sprinkling of chocolate shavings and a dusting of cocoa powder.

 

Ms Polka Says: Iso-life or not, I am so making this! How amazing does it look?

About Ms Fleur de Lys: Aside from being Ms Polka’s Editorial Assistant, Ms Fleur de Lys is also Polka Dot Bride’s Melbourne correspondent so you’ll see her running all over town finding wedding inspiration. As both a lifestyle journalist and cocktail aficionado, Fleur appreciates the power of words whipped up as deftly as a good martini.