- 225g/8oz butter
- 200g/7oz light muscovado sugar, or other light brown sugar
- 3 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp golden syrup
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 5 large free-range egg whites
- 450g/1lb caster sugar
- 2 tsp cornflour
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar
- 500ml/18fl oz double cream
- 75ml/3fl oz water
- 175g/6oz dark chocolate, melted
- For the toffee, place all of the toffee ingredients into a pan and bring to the boil.
- Place a sugar thermometer into the pan and continue to cook until the temperature reads 128C/260F, then plunge the base of the pan into cold water. Immediately pour the toffee into a cold heatproof glass bowl and whisk well.
- Add one tablespoon of cold water and whisk until the toffee has thickened, then pour onto a shallow baking tray lined with baking parchment. Allow to cool until firm.
- For the pavlova, preheat the oven to 140C/285F/Gas 1.
- Place the egg whites into a clean bowl and whisk until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed.
- Add 300g/10½oz of the sugar, one tablespoonful at a time, whisking constantly, until stiff peaks form when the whisk is removed and the mixture appears glossy and smooth.
- Add the cornflour and vinegar and whisk to combine.
- Cut the toffee into chunks. Add half of the toffee to the meringue mixture and fold in gently.
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper and spoon the meringue and toffee mixture onto the tray in a large round shape.
- Place into the oven to bake for ten minutes, then turn the oven off and leave for at least 2-3 hours (preferably overnight), until crisp but uncoloured. Remove from the oven and cool. Transfer to a serving plate.
- Place the remaining 150g/5oz caster sugar and the water into a pan over a medium heat and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until it forms a caramel.
- Pour half of the caramel onto a baking tray lined with baking parchment and allow to cool. Keep the remaining caramel warm.
- Whisk the double cream until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed.
- Fold in the remaining toffee pieces, two thirds of the melted chocolate and almost all of the warm caramel.
- Spoon the cream, chocolate and caramel mixture into the centre of the meringue.
- Drizzle with the remaining melted chocolate and caramel.
- Break the cool, set caramel into shards and place in the centre of the pavlova. Serve immediately.