Receta Raspberry Boccone Dolce (Chocolate and Raspberry Pavlova)
Raspberry Boccone Dolce (Chocolate and Raspberry Pavlova)
I recently queried an Italian speaking friend about the meaning of the Italian words, boccone dolce, that are in the name of this recipe. I’ve been making this beautiful dessert for many, many years but had never thought to find out what it meant before but truer words were never spoken. This dessert really is a ‘sweet mouthful.’ Lovely clouds of meringue layered with chocolate, whipped cream and berries. Oh my.
Also know as a Pavlova for the light layers of meringue mixed with whipped cream and berries, this dessert includes a layer of chocolate ganache; it is truly a stellar dessert for Valentine’s Day but it’s so easy we don’t limit it to just one day of the year. I’ve never made it with anything but raspberries but have had friends use strawberries and rave as much about their results so use whichever is most available and fresh!
Beautiful to look at, wonderful to eat; it’s a dessert you will love to present but the truth is…it’s pretty doggone easy too! I’ve been swept up into the Macaron Madness a couple of times but making those lovely French meringue cookies has been an exasperation for me. So many factors influence their success and since I can’t control humidity or altitude so the results have been less than stellar. The truth is that I’ve also never had one that seemed to make all of that effort worth it…give me this dessert in a heartbeat! I made this dessert for a summer barbecue and friends were awed by the look and thought I should not have gone to that much trouble for a barbecue. I kept it a secret that it was easier than many ‘regular’ cakes I could have baked. Let them think I worked all day to please them, I’m OK with that!
Raspberry Boccone Dolce (Sweet Mouthful) Total time 1 hour 10 mins
8 eggs white at room temperature pinch of salt ¼ tsp cream of tartar 2 cups sugar 4 cups whipping cream 1 cup sugar 2 Tbsp vanilla extract 8 ounces good chocolate, chopped ½ cup half and half 1 to 1½ pints fresh raspberries
Beat egg whites until frothy. Add salt and cream of tartar, beating until stiff. Gradually add sugar continuing to beat until the meringue is stiff and glossy. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper and trace 3 circles with cake pan (I used the bottom of my springform pan), each 8 or 9 inches in diameter. Spread the meringue evenly over the circles and bake at 250 degrees for 35-50 minutes, or until the meringues are pale gold and still pliable. Turn off oven and leave in until ready to use or overnight. When ready to use, carefully peel the paper from the bottom. Melt the chocolate with the half and half over low heat and whisk until smooth. Remove ¼ cup chocolate and reserve for drizzling top. Divide evenly on top of each meringue and smooth; refrigerate until chocolate has hardened a bit. Beat the cream; gradually adding the sugar. Add the vanilla and beat until quite stiff. Place a small dollop of whipped cream on a serving plate and put one meringue on top. Spread approximately ⅓ of whipped cream over the chocolate. Top with ⅓ of the fresh berries. Repeat with a 2nd and 3rd layer; pipe some whipped cream on top of berries and garnish with a few that have been reserved. Warm reserved chocolate if necessary and drizzle over entire cake using either a fork or a ziplock bag with a tiny snip taken off of a corner. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. The longer you can let this dessert refrigerate before serving, the better. I recommend a 2 hour minimum but more is even better while making sure it is served the same day it is put together. That will give the soft and crunchy meringues time to absorb a bit of moisture and make cutting easier.
BUT note...as beautiful as it is and as much as we love it, the beauty of the presentation is certainly not in the individual slices. No matter; I promise no one will complain as they lick their plates clean!
3.2.2925
Today marks another #ComfortFoodFest with my Food Network friends and appropriately the theme is Chocolate! Lots and lots of chocolate; no excuse to not make something for your Valentine!
- Feed Me Phoebe: Dark Chocolate Beauty Bark with Chia Seeds, Pepitas and Goji Berries
- The Heritage Cook: Gluten-Free Black & White Brownies with Orange Glaze
- Virtually Homemade: Chocolate Covered Strawberries with Coconut
- Creative Culinary: Raspberry Boccone Dolce (Pavlova with Chocolate and Raspberries)
- Daisy at Home: Mocha Mousse Marshmallow Cake
- The Mom 100: Molten Chocolate Peanut Butter Cakes
- Dishin & Dishes: Espresso Truffles
- The Lemon Bowl: Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Creamy Cheese Frosting
- Elephants and the Coconut Trees: Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
- The Cultural Dish: Moroccan Pots de Creme
- Red or Green: Dark Chocolate Truffles- 4 Flavors
- Napa Farmhouse 1885: Chocolate-Coconut-Cashew Bark with Sea Salt
- The Wimpy Vegetarian: Chocolate and Pretzel Bark with Sea Salt
- In Jennie’s Kitchen: Fudgy, Chewy Brownies {dairy free}
- Haute Apple Pie: Mississippi Mud Pie
- Taste with the Eyes: Chocolate Mint Parfaits with Chocolate Hearts
- Food for 7 Stages of Life: Everyday Chocolate Granola
- FN Dish: Melt Hearts with Handmade Chocolate Sweets — Comfort Food Feast
A trip WAY BACK!
I first published this Raspberry Boccone Dolce (Chocolate and Raspberry Pavlova) on my blog back in the ‘olden’ days of 1996. When my camera was a point and shoot and I took one quick snap before we devoured the food. I have loved the journey into photography and now look at some of these old photos with dismay…but I still want to keep them as a reminder and an encourager for me and maybe others!
The good news though…I obviously did not spend the time decorating much on the day of that barbecue and no matter; everyone LOVED the dessert. I’ve since upped the volume on the meringue and the whipping cream but no decorating tips in your kitchen? Now worries, just dollop the whipped cream on with a spoon and smooth it a bit and you’re covered!