Serves 8-10 | Easy | Ready in 20 minutes

We’ve all been there. The moment all the work is about to pay off, and at the critical time of moving your homemade pav from tray to plate, it falls apart. But don’t worry, you can still present a dessert you feel proud of! Slice your pav into thick wedges and layer into a trifle dish or serving bowl and spoon thick whipped cream over the top. Let fruit and any sauce or syrup fall and drip over the cracks and voila! Eton Mess.

Equipment required:

Small saucepan, trifle bowl, electric beaters or stand mixer

100g dark chocolate

600ml cream

25g butter

2 tbs brown sugar

1 pavlova base

1 x 425g tin pitted black cherries

250g fresh cherries

Step 1: Make Chocolate Fudge Sauce

Chop chocolate and place in a small saucepan over low heat with 100ml cream, butter and brown sugar. Stir until melted and smooth. Set aside to cool.

Step 2: Slice Pavlova

Slice broken pavlova into pieces and arrange in the base of a serving dish or trifle bowl.

Step 3: Whip Cream

Using electric beaters or a stand mixer, whisk the remaining 500ml cream to soft peaks.

Step 4: Drain Cherries

Drain cherries. Reserving 60ml (¼ cup) of the syrup.

Step 5: Assemble Eton Mess

Spoon cream over pavlova and top with tinned cherries. Drizzle with reserved cherry syrup and chocolate fudge sauce. Top with fresh cherries to serve.

Tip:

Serve any remaining fudge sauce on the side, or keep in an airtight container to drizzle over ice-cream.