Chocolate Cherry Berry Pavlova

Pavlova:

• 100g dark chocolate (70% cocoa), chopped
• 4 egg whites
• 1 cup (220g) CSR Caster Sugar
• 1 tbsp White Wings Cornflour
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 250g cream cheese, softened
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ cup (40g) CSR Pure Icing Sugar
• 300ml thickened (heavy) cream
• Fresh cherries with stems attached

Cherry Berry Compote:

• 2 cups (300g) cherries, halved, pitted
• 1 cup (150g) blueberries
• ⅓ cup (75g) CSR Caster Sugar
• ¼ cup (60ml) water
• ¼ cup (80g) cherry jam

1. Preheat oven to 120°C. Line an oven tray with baking paper. Mark an 18cm circle on paper.
2. Place chocolate in a small heatproof bowl over a small saucepan of simmering water (don't allow bowl to touch water); stir until just melted. Cool slightly.
3. Beat egg whites in a small bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form; gradually add sugar, beating until dissolved after each addition, and mixture is thick and glossy.
4. Fold cornflour and vinegar into meringue mixture; swirl in chocolate. Dollop meringue inside marked circle on tray.
5. Bake meringue for 1¼ hrs or until dry to the touch. Turn oven off, leave meringue to cool in oven with door ajar.
6. For the cherry blueberry compote, place cherries, blueberries, sugar and the water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Simmer for 5 mins or until cherries and blueberries have released juices. Using a slotted spoon, transfer cherries and blueberries to a small bowl. Stir jam into juices in pan. Boil for 5 mins or until mixture thickens. Pour syrup over cherry mixture. Cool completely.
7. Beat cream cheese, extract and icing sugar in a small bowl with an electric mixer until smooth; gradually beat in cream until smooth and combined.
8. Just before serving, spoon cream cheese mixture on pavlova; top with compote. Decorate with fresh cherries.