Haigh's Chocolate & Cherry Pavlovas

For the Pavlovas

• 6 extra-large egg whites
• 1½ cups (330g) caster sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornflour
• 1 teaspoon (5ml) white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
• 50g Haigh’s 70% Dark Chocolate Pastilles, melted

Haigh's chocolate cream

• 150g Haigh’s Dark Chocolate Pastilles
• 1 cup (250ml) cream
• ⅓ cup (80ml) water

Cherry Compote

• 350g fresh cherries, ¾ pitted and ¼ with stalks for decoration
• 2 tablespoons caster sugar
• juice of an orange
• zest of ½ orange

1. Preheat oven to 160°C (140°C fan-forced). Line two large oven trays with non-stick baking paper. 
2. For the chocolate cream, place chocolate in a medium bowl. Combine the cream and water together in a small saucepan over a medium heat and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and pour over chocolate, stirring every few minutes until chocolate is completely melted. Allow to cool, before covering with plastic wrap and refrigerating for 4 hours, preferably overnight.
3. For the cherry compote, place ingredients together in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook gently for 5 minutes or until cherries soften slightly and release their juices. Remove from heat and allow to cool, before refrigerating.
4. For the pavolvas, place egg whites in a large bowl and beat until soft peaks form, using electric beaters on medium. Slowly add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well between each addition until sugar dissolves. Once all the sugar has been incorporated and has dissolved, add vanilla bean paste, cornflour and vinegar, folding gently to combine.
5. Evenly divide meringue mixture into 8 and spoon onto prepared trays. Drizzle melted chocolate over each meringue and gently swirl with a skewer.
6. Place pavlovas in preheated oven and immediately reduce temperature to 120°C (100°C fan-forced). Bake for 40 minutes or until dry to touch. Turn oven off and cool pavlovas in oven, with door ajar.
7. To serve, whip chilled chocolate cream with an electric beaters until light and fluffy. Carefully place meringues on serving plates. Divide chocolate cream between the meringues and top with cherry compote.