Chocolate and hazelnut pavlovas with cream and berries

I am a big fan of Nigella Lawson’s mini Pavlovas so when I saw this recipe for something similar in Marie Claire Zest,but  with the added bonus of nuts and chocolate, I just had to give it a try. Well they were even better and tasted deliciously like Ferrero rochers. As you can see, I topped mine with raspberries,and blueberries. They are ideal in that you can make them in advance and just assemble them with whatever fruit is available at the last minute, making them the perfect pud for friends.
Chocolate Nut pavlovas with Cream and Berries
3 egg whites
200g caster sugar
2 tablespoons dark cocoa
2 tablespoons ground hazelnuts
50g flaked almonds
150ml cream, whipped
500g mixed berries
Preheat oven to 150c. Line a large baking tray with baking paper. Whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks and then slowly add the sugar, continuing to beat until the mixture is white & glossy. Fold in the cocoa and ground hazelnuts, then spoon the meringue into 6 large dollops on the tray. Using the back of a spoon, create a dip in the top of each meringue. Sprinkle with almonds and bake for 45 minutes. Turn off heat, but leave the meringues to cool in the oven wi the door ajar. Serve topped with whipped cream and berries.

TOP TIP: Fat. Fat is the enemy of whipped egg whites. Get fat in your whites and no matter how long you beat them, they will never fluff up. Fat hides in wooden spoons. Wooden spoons also have a texture that food clings to, good if you're mixing a pudding batter but not if you're trying to form quenelles.