I recently queried an Italian speaking friend about the meaning of the Italian words, boccone dolce, that are in the name of this recipe. I've been making this beautiful dessert for many, many years but had never thought to find out what it meant before but truer words were never spoken. This dessert really is a sweet mouthful. Lovely clouds of meringue layered with chocolate, whipped cream and berries. Oh my.
Also know as a Pavlova for the light layers of meringue mixed with whipped cream and berries, this dessert includes a layer of chocolate ganache; it is truly a stellar dessert for Valentine's Day but it's so easy we don't limit it to just one day of the year. I've never made it with anything but raspberries but have had friends use strawberries and rave as much about their results so use whichever is most available and fresh!
Beautiful to look at, wonderful to eat; it's a dessert you will love to present but the truth is...it's pretty doggone easy too! I've been swept up into the Macaron Madness a couple of times but making those lovely French meringue cookies has been an exasperation for me. So many factors influence their success and since I can't control humidity or altitude so the results have been less than stellar. The truth is that I've also never had one that seemed to make all of that effort worth it...give me this dessert in a heartbeat! I made this dessert for a summer barbecue and friends were awed by the look and thought I should not have gone to that much trouble for a barbecue. I kept it a secret that it was easier than many 'regular' cakes I could have baked. Let them think I worked all day to please them, I'm OK with that!
Feed Me Phoebe: Dark Chocolate Beauty Bark with Chia Seeds, Pepitas and Goji Berries
The Heritage Cook: Gluten-Free Black & White Brownies with Orange Glaze
Virtually Homemade: Chocolate Covered Strawberries with Coconut
Creative Culinary: Raspberry Boccone Dolce (Pavlova with Chocolate and Raspberries)
Daisy at Home: Mocha Mousse Marshmallow Cake
The Mom 100: Molten Chocolate Peanut Butter Cakes
Dishin & Dishes: Espresso Truffles
The Lemon Bowl: Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Creamy Cheese Frosting
Elephants and the Coconut Trees: Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
The Cultural Dish: Moroccan Pots de Creme
Red or Green: Dark Chocolate Truffles- 4 Flavors
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Chocolate-Coconut-Cashew Bark with Sea Salt
The Wimpy Vegetarian: Chocolate and Pretzel Bark with Sea Salt
In Jennie's Kitchen: Fudgy, Chewy Brownies {dairy free}
Haute Apple Pie: Mississippi Mud Pie
Taste with the Eyes: Chocolate Mint Parfaits with Chocolate Hearts
Food for 7 Stages of Life: Everyday Chocolate Granola
FN Dish: Melt Hearts with Handmade Chocolate Sweets - Comfort Food Feast
A trip WAY BACK!
I first published this Raspberry Boccone Dolce (Chocolate and Raspberry Pavlova) on my blog back in the 'olden' days of 1996. When my camera was a point and shoot and I took one quick snap before we devoured the food. I have loved the journey into photography and now look at some of these old photos with dismay...but I still want to keep them as a reminder and an encourager for me and maybe others!
The good news though...I obviously did not spend the time decorating much on the day of that barbecue and no matter; everyone LOVED the dessert. I've since upped the volume on the meringue and the whipping cream but no decorating tips in your kitchen? Now worries, just dollop the whipped cream on with a spoon and smooth it a bit and you're covered!
