This is the easiest, spunkiest, most delicious dessert ever. It’s a big call, we know, but we stand by it!
I was skeptical to try this recipe. I’m not a fan of store-bought pavlovas and to be honest, I was surprised that Jamie would even suggest we use one – particularly for an event as special as Christmas. I was so, so wrong to be doubtful.
I don’t know how they did it, but the Gold Chocolate Hazelnut Pavlova we used could have been home-made. It’s hand-finished so each one is unique and a bit rustic looking and the marshmallow to crunch ratio is almost perfect.
I would happily serve that up for a speccy dessert, as is but we wanted to try a couple of variations. We followed the tips on Jamie’s Down Under Berry Pav recipe almost to the letter and the result was nothing short of spectacular.
See for yourself.
[mc_block_title custom_title=”Ingredients”]
- 600g ripe strawberries
- 180g golden caster sugar
- 200g dark chocolate (70%)
- 1 vanilla pod
- 500ml thickened cream
- 1 Woolworths chocolate-rippled Pavlova base [we used the Gold Chocolate Hazelnut Pavlova]
- 1 orange
- a handful of baby mint leaves
[mc_block_title custom_title=”Directions”]
1. Pick out a handful of the smaller strawberries, then halve with green stalks intact and put to one side. Halve or quarter the remaining strawberries, toss in 30g of sugar and leave to macerate.
2. To make the chocolate sauce, snap the chocolate into a pan and cover with 150ml boiling water. Place on a medium heat and bring to the boil, stirring until the chocolate has melted into the water. Stir in 100g of sugar and continue cooking until you have a smooth chocolate sauce. Remove from the heat, then leave to thicken and cool.
3. Meanwhile, halve the vanilla pod lengthways, scraping the seeds into a large mixing bowl. Add the cream along with 50g of sugar and whip to soft peaks. [TIP: this cream was very sweet. I would halve the amount of sugar next time]
Eton Mess
This is basically a deconstructed Pav. To make a rustic Eton mess break the Pavlova into a large bowl. (We were so impressed with the height and consistency of the marshmallow inside the Pavlova base, see the pic for detail.) Add the whipped cream, the macerated strawberries and a drizzle of chocolate sauce, then fold everything together with a large metal spoon. You can divide between bowls for a more rustic approach but we chose to serve it in a gorgeous crystal bowl as a feature for the dessert table. Top with a grating of orange zest, an extra drizzle of chocolate sauce and a scattering of baby mint leaves.
Sundae Style
To make a sundae-style dessert lay out a tray of glasses or tumblers, then divide the macerated strawberries between them. Dollop half the whipped cream into the glasses, then cover each with some snapped up pieces of the Pavlova base. Spoon the rest of the cream on top and add a drizzle of chocolate sauce. Top with the reserved strawberries, a grating of orange zest, an extra drizzle of chocolate sauce and a scattering of baby mint leaves. [TIP: This is a decadent dessert and we could barely make it through ours so we recommend smaller portions!]
[mc_block_title custom_title=”JAMIE’S TIP”]
195 Comments
Strawberries!!!!
Kiwi fruit
Strawberries
Shaved Peppermint aero bar
Fresh fruit salad, all over, drizzled with chocolate, and dollops of cream fresh
Chocolate and hazelnuts with strawberries
Strawberries, banana & kiwi fruit
Mangoes ,banana and passionfruit pulp
Strawberry. Banana and kiwifruit
Grated dark chocolate and maserated cherries
Strawberries
Strawberries and passionfruit!!
Strawberries, raspberries and cream, with some chocolate flakes!
Strawberries, passionfruit, banana
Everything!! so easy (well sometimes) and just so yummy everyone eats it!
Strawberries, chocolate & cream 🙂 YUM
Mango, whipped cream and broken up pieces of crunchie! Yummo 🙂
Chocolate, cream and strawberries.
Pomegranate, whipped cream and pistachios!
strawberries, kiwifruit cream & banana & a few choc chips
Cream, kiwifruit, strawberries and chocolate!
Fresh strawberries, cherries and blueberries are divine on top
Love to top my pav’s with fresh cream, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries and chocolate curls.
I’m happy with just cream and strawberries on the top of a pav
Fresh strawberries & lots of them. Mmmmm yum!!
I love either custard, sliced banana and passionfruit OR passionfruit and strawberries
custard, berry mix, grapes and kiwi fruit
Pav simply has to have passionfruit pulp!
Banana, pineapple, mango, kiwi fruit, strawberries, blueberries, passionfruit pulp all sitting on some freshly whipped cream.
strawberries & banana drizzled with caramel
peaches strawberry kiwi fruit whipped cream & choc sauce drizzled over the top
Passionfruit
passionfruit is my favourite but id pretty much eat a pav with anything!
Raspberries and a big dollop of cream.
A zesty lemon curd and berries.
Whipped cream and fresh berries so yummy!
passionfruit and cream
Mango, kiwi, strawberry, blueberries, cherries & passion fruit !! YummY
freshly whipped cream, blueberries and kiwi fruit
Passionfruit
Almonds (shredded)
Very fresh kiwifruit
Lychees
Organic bananas
Various berries
And eat it up!
I love a pav with tropical fruits mango passionfruit kiwi fruit strawberries and lots and lots of cream of course yum
On Mum’s coffee flavoured pav… SHAVED DARK CHOCOLATE!
Fresh Mango, Shaved toasted coconut, Grated Dark Chocolate and lightly toasted macadamia nuts
I love pavlova covered generously with thick vanilla bean custard with broken up chocolate bars. We have tried cherry ripes, mars bars, snickers and so on and they all taste great!. If you’re feeling decadent drizzle the top with a thick chocolate sauce as well! YUM!!
Lots of fruit and cream.
Fresh berries and mango!
Definatley got to have fresh cream banana passion fruit pulp kid fruit and strawberries and I’m set
Berries, fresh cream, passionfruit , yum!
Orange slices, cream and slithers of coconut!
Mint, strawberries, latherings of fresh cream and grated dark chocolate.
Strawberries and mangoes!!!!!
Cream,strawberries passionfruit kiwifruit and banana mmm yum.
I find pavlova too sweet. But with tart raspberries and lashings of cream, everything becomes perfect.
Strawberries & Kiwi fruit are a must.
Blueberries, Raspberries and passion fruit, drizzled with some Icing sugar.
flake and passionfuit
All kinds of berries and kiwifruit with passionfruit on top and lashings of cream.
Whipped cream , fresh fruit , then drizzled with passion fruit & shaved chocolate .
Berries and mangoes.
Strawberries with passionfruit pulp and shaved chocolate
mango’s and passionfruit and berry’s with fresh whipped cream and grated milk chocolate
Strawberries, kiwi fruit & passion fruit.
Banana, mango & passionfruit
Whipped maleny dairies pure cream, Home grown mangoes, strawberries, kiwi, and locally sourced blueberries topped with passion fruit pulp.
Love strawberries, raspberries and blueberries topped with some passion fruit. Full of antioxidants.
classic vanilla bean real icecream with smoothied fresh mango and some passionfruit pulp freshly cut
Nothing like a home made pavlova with fresh cream, fresh mango, strawberries, kiwi fruit & passionfruit pulp yum make one every Christmas 🙂
I love Pavlova but haven’t had one for nearly 2 years since I gave up sugar, the dreaded stuff is in everything, but I have been trying new recipes and making old recipes sugar free, pavlova is the next on my list
Fresh passionfruit straight out of the garden.
Shaved chocolate-whether it’s crunchies, cherry ripes or peppermint chocolate. Yummy!
It’s hard to choose between crushed peppermint crisp or strawberries and passionfruit….sometimes I do both 🙂
Has to be fresh strawberries, blueberries and raspberries to cut through the sweetness of the pavlova
I love raspberries & strawberries, or even Choc mint if I’m feeling a bit more adventurous!!
A deliciously delectable enrichment of Chantilly cream topped with mango, passionfruit and pineapple accompanied by refreshing mint and a seasonal coconut infused lychee drizzle.
Can’t go past fresh cream and strawberries
Strawberries, Passionfruit & Chocolate Curls.
Cream, strawberries and drizzled chocolate
Every pavlova needs to have passionfruit and heaps of whipped cream. Yum
whipped cream with a dash of vanilla, icing sugar to sweeten, then topped with lots of fresh fruit, strawberries, blueberries, kiwi fruit, banana (brush with lemon to stop going brown) any stone fruit that is in season that the family like, then I like to lightly crush a flake over the top to add some chocolate, yummy and the family love it.
We love our pav topped with cream, strawberries, kiwi fruit and drizzled with passion fruit.
Whipped cream and a crumbled up flake… some fruit too cause that seems to be appropriate but we’re all there for the cream and chocolate
I love cream strawberries raspberries kiwi fruit and chocolate sauce
Yummy whipped cream with strawberry and Burberry is my favourite
I love simplicity!
Tropical….with extra pineapple & passionfruit, with whipped cream!
Fresh fruits and cream, a pavlova dream, dressed with passion fruit sauce and flakes of chocolate of course, then sink into to your crunchy, fluffy mallow pillow….
It seems we all dream the same dream!… 🙂
dont care as long as there is crumbled cadburys flake all over
Mango for me!
With our love of pavlova at Christmas time , we enjoy kiwi fruit & strawberries- some festive red & green!
I love mine with fresh strawberries, passion fruit and Kiwi fruit. Fresh and zingy tasting.
Definitely lots of freshly whipped cream laced with pure vanilla essence and icing sugar, then top with chopped freshly picked strawberries the great big ones straight from the strawberry patch. Of course a big drizzle of melted dark chocolate over the top makes it just perfect.
Fresh fruit and cream
I love my Pavlova with lots of whipped cream and lots of strawberries and some kiwi fruit for colour and a drizzle of passionfruit for flavour.
Fresh strawberries dipped in chocolate covered in chocolate sauce! Omg! Yum!
Strawberries & kiwi fruit sprinkled generously with crunched up “Flake” chocolate bars.
Flake Chocolate, Strawberries, Mango, Blueberries and Raspberries on a nice bed of cream, and a drizzle of passionfruit pulp.
Fresh fruit, whipped cream and vanilla icecream
Chocolate, caramel and banana!
“Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first.” ~Ernestine Ulmer.
chocolate and strawberries
love chocolate dipped strawberries and raspberries
Strawberries, kiwi and passonfruit. Cream served with a scoop of ice cream
Double Chocolate with Mascarpone Cream & Raspberries
Greek yoghurt and sweet balsamic roasted strawberries!
Blackberries and raspberries on a bed of creamy vanilla ice-cream and drizzled with cinnamon sugar.
Whipped cream, berries and chocolate curls mmmm
I love sliced banana and passionfruit butter with fresh passionfruit and raspberry coulis drizzled on top.
I love combination of mango and passion fruit. So fresh!
Cadbury flake.
penguin52
This is a cool topping, yummy mango with swirls of passionfrit pulp
Fresh mango and pieces of peppermint crisp chocolate with a drizzle of chocolate sauce and a dash of fresh lime and top with fresh mint
Cream, strawberries and flake
A pavlova generously covered in whipped cream and crushed peppermint crisp always tastes like Christmas to me!
Fresh berries and cream
I love berries, so pavlova topped with a lot of different berries is my favourite!
A pav with crushed up Peppermint crisp..positively delicious 🙂
Whipped cream with a mixture of fresh fruit.
Strawberries! Fresh Strawberries.
Blueberry, kiwi, cut peaches..any fruit that cuts the sweetness of the pavlova
Whipped Cream with strawberries,banana,mango, passion fruit drizzle with chocolate
vanilla cream and mango puree drizzle
whipped cream with added peppermint crisp,great minty flavour
Passionfruit
whipped cream with a hint of Baileys, cherries and shavings of milk chocolate! yum 🙂
The combinations are endless – I like filling it with a light chocolate mousse and then grating Peppermint Crisp on the top.
Whipped cream, strawberries, banana & kiwi fruit. So simple but delicious!!
Seasonal berries and caramel, yummmm
Crushed Peppermint Crisp of course, what else?!
love whipped cream, kiwi fruit, mango and strawberries.. yummy 🙂
Mango, Coconut and Salted Caramel
It has to be mango and passionfruit – summer delight!
Mango/pineapple whip. It’s basically frozen mango and pineapple whipped with coconut milk like a soft serve.
Grated peppermint crisp chocolate bars simple but yummy
Manisha
mango and strawberries and cream.
Passionfruit.
Oh I love cream, strawberries & a little bit of smashed peppermint crisp. Drool…
Baileys, cream and strawberries. Yum.
A drizzle of raspberry coulee and passionfruit covering a delicious array of fruits – strawberries, kiwi fruit and mango slices.
i put kiwi fruit pepermint crisp and flake
Strawberries and Cream with a little passion fruit pulp…..Always
A whole lota passionfruit syrup, smothered with mangoes and kiwifruit!! Mmmm Mmmmmmm
Whipped cream Nutella and strawberries
berry frenzy – strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries on a bed of double cream (trickle some juice from the blackberries over the sides for effect)
fresh cream strawberries then sprinkle over a Cadbury peppermint flake heaven
fresh cream and blueberries and mango puree – makes everyone drool and say this is delicious hooray 🙂
Strawberries and Blueberries and Chocolate Flakes and fresh Cream.
You can’t go past a mix of strawberries and summer peachs. Delicious!
Fresh passionfruit and mango slices.
I love strawberries and passionfruit!! So refreshing, and the flavours go together really well. Sweet and a little bit bitter.
Grated Peppermint Crisp!
I love strawberries, mango, blueberries drizzled with passion fruit pulp.
I love my pavlova loaded with fruit but I’ve never tried it any other way. I’m thinking i should! 🙂
a variety of summer fruits, especially berries
Kiwifruit (and a bit more cream).
Fresh strawberries, Kiwi fruit and slices of fresh banana.
I love passionfruit on my
Caramel, fig, whipped cream and crumbled chocolate – divine!
Fresh whipped cream, fresh strawberries, tinned peaches and fresh passionfruit pulp. Simple and delicious!
Strawberries
Whipped cream and passion fruit pulp! So freaking yummy!!! 🙂
Definitely passionfruit and strawberries! They just add a lovely tartness that’s not too overpowering.
Banana, pineapple, Kiwi fruit and peaches and whipped cream yummo
Passionflower and strawberries
I love passionfruit and banana, yum!
kiwifruit and strawberries!
Strawberries, passionfruit with Chocolate Flake
Passionfruit of course,strawberries,kiwi fruit and a
Iil mango because were Queenslanders 🙂
Whipped cream, farm fresh strawberries and grated milk chocolate
Strawberries, whipped cream and grated peppermint crisp chocolate. It’s so good!!
strawberries,banana and crushed flake, yuy yum!
Lots of whipped cream with vanilla, berries, passionfruit, mango, any stone fruit that is in season, with a little grated choc sprinkled over the top.
I love nothing better than Strawberries covered in Passionfruit, and the children love Grated Chocolate all over the cream.
Cream, strawberries and flake chocolate sprinkled on top.
We love fresh whipped cream, strawberries , Pecans, a caramel sauce with grated chocolate yum yum
Lashings of vanilla cream, with Tia Ma and shaved chocolate.
Mango and blueberries!
Whipped cream, strawberries, bananas, kiwifruit and chocolate sauce – yummy!
I love fresh whipped thick cream and strawberries, Kiwi fruit, cherries ontop!
Pecans, strawberries and banana with whipped cream ( tiny bit of icing sugar to sweeten) and a berry compote
Kiwi Fruit and broken up Peppermint Crisp
Fresh passionfruit and Summer berries!
Fresh passionfruit
Cream, strawberries, kiwi fruit passion fruit and banana.
Strawbs and cream – can’t go wrong.
I like it tropical so passionfruit, mango, and pineapple pieces.
Strawberries and kiwi fruit pieces are a must
You know I don’t really care what’s on top of a Pavlova as long as a) I’m allowed to eat it, and b) I’m allowed to have a second piece!
Strawberries lots of them !
whipped cream and (crumbled) flake
Strawberries, kiwi fruit, passionfruit pulp or raspberry coulis, mango, peaches, banana, raspberries, blueberries and Cadbury flake
Fresh cream, strawberries, mango and passionfruit.
strawberries of course. Love them.
Fruit – then I don’t feel so guilty!!!!!
Whipped cream passionfruit syrup & smarties
Whipped cream, mangoes, kiwi fruit and passionfruit Mmmm mmmm Delicious!!
An array of fruit, and of course a Peppermint crisp!