Chocolate On Chocolate Pavlova - cooking recipe

Ingredients

5 None large egg whites
1 1/3 cups sugar
8 oz 70 percent cocoa dark chocolate, 3 oz finely chopped, 3 oz chopped, 2 oz cut into shards
1 tbsp cornstarch, sifted
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
5 oz Mascarpone cheese
1/2 tbsp marsala wine
1 tbsp powdered sugar, sifted

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 250\u00b0F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
For the meringues, beat the egg whites in a large bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar, beating until dissolved between each addition. Fold in the finely chopped chocolate along with the cornstarch. Shape the meringue into 8 rounds on the prepared baking sheets. Use the back of a spoon to create a small indentation in the center of each meringue. Bake for 1 1/4 hours, switching the position of the baking sheets after 40 mins, or until the meringues are dry and crisp. Turn off the oven. Cool the meringues in the oven with the door ajar.
For the chocolate sauce, combine the chopped chocolate with half the cream in a small saucepan. Stir over low heat until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
To make the Mascarpone topping, beat the remaining cream in a small bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add the mascarpone, marsala and powdered sugar and beat until just combined.
To serve, top the meringues with the mascarpone mixture, chocolate sauce and chocolate shards.