DREAMY DESSERTS

For a spectacular finish to a festive meal, how about our showstopping profiterole wreath, a delectable dairy-free cheesecake or piled-high pavlova? Tis the season to indulge

- ESTHER CLARK and LIBERTY MENDEZ

Chocolate & peanut butter pavlova

All the components in this luscious pavlova work perfectly together; sweet and salty peanuts, crisp meringue and a creamy chocolate crémeux mixed with rich peanut butter cream. It’s a sensory delight.

SERVES 10-12 PREP 45 mins plus cooling COOK 1 hr 5 mins MORE EFFORT

For the dark chocolate crémeux

• 75g whole milk

• 115ml whipping cream

• 2 egg yolks, reserving the whites for the meringue (below)

• 50g caster sugar

• 150g dark chocolate, finely chopped

• 60g salted butter, softened

For the meringue

• 3 large egg whites

• 200g caster sugar

• 1 tsp white wine vinegar

• 2 tsp cornflour

• 50g dark chocolate, melted and cooled

For the candied peanuts

• 100g shelled peanuts, regular or roasted

• 60g granulated sugar

For the peanut buttercream

• 100g white chocolate, roughly chopped

• 100g smooth peanut butter

• 25g cold salted butter, cut into cubes

• 225ml double cream dark chocolate shavings, to serve (optional)