CRAFT by Under My Host® Issue No. 15 Classics | Page 138

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C. Grease your chosen pan and line with parchment pa-
per, then set aside.
2. Place the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, mak-
ing sure that the base of the bowl is not touching the water. Leave for about 2 minutes to
melt, then remove the bowl from the heat. Stir until you have a thick shiny sauce and set
aside to come to room temperature.
3. Place the eggs and sugar in a large bowl and whisk until pale and creamy and a trail is
left behind when you move the whisk; this will take about 3 minutes with an electric mixer,
longer by hand. Add the chocolate and fold through gently with a spatula—don’t overwork
the mixture here.
4. Sift the flour, cocoa powder and salt into a bowl, then gently fold into the chocolate mix-
ture. Finally, add the pieces of halva, gently fold through the mix, then pour or scrape the
mixture into the lined baking pan, using a small spatula to even it out. Dollop small spoon-
fuls of the tahini paste into the mix in about 12 different places, then use a skewer to swirl
them through to create a marbled effect, taking the marbling right to the edges of the pan.
5. Bake for about 23 minutes, until the middle has a slight wobble and it is gooey inside—
they may be ready anywhere between 22 and 25 minutes. If using the 12 x 8-inch/30.5 x
20-cm pan, they will need a couple minutes less cooking time. They may seem a little un-
dercooked at first, but they firm up once they start to cool down. If you want to serve them
warmish (and gooey), set aside for just 30 minutes before cutting into 16 pieces. Otherwise,
set aside for longer to cool to room temperature.
Equipment
We made these in a 9-inch/ 23-cm-square baking pan, but a 12 x 8-inch/30.5 x 20-cm pan
also works well.
Storage
These will keep well for up to 5 days in an airtight container. They also freeze well, covered
in plastic wrap, for up to a month. When you take them out of the freezer, they are uncom-
monly good eaten at the half-frozen, half-thawed stage.
Cinnamon Pavlova, Praline Cream, and Fresh Figs
Gluten-Free
This is a stunning dessert for a special occasion. It also has a nice element of surprise, as
the meringue base is not quite what you might expect: gooey—almost toffee-like—rather
than dry and crispy. This is due to the brown sugar in the mix. Combined with the praline
cream and fresh figs, it’s absolutely delicious. Pavlova is the dessert to make when you
have a bit of time and are feeding people you adore. This recipe calls for sliced almonds,
but you can easily substitute chopped pistachios (as pictured opposite).
Serves 10-12 (it’s quite rich, so the slices and not too big)