I’m obsessed with this Valentine’s Maple Pavlova! It’s a super stunning dessert that’s quick to whip up (literally), and is both light, delicate and delicious. Serve it with whipped maple cream, fresh berries and an extra generous drizzle of 100% pure Canadian maple syrup. I love making one large showstopper of a dessert, but you can certainly make individual smaller portions that are ideal for a date night for two, a galentine’s get-together or simply made just for you!

This post is kindly sponsored by Maple From Canada UK.

What ingredients do you need to make this Valentine’s Maple Pavlova?

Egg whites. Personally I prefer to buy cartoned egg whites for this recipe. There’s less waste than separating eggs and being left with a whole load of yolks. Plus, you reduce the risk of your meringue collapsing should you get a tiny bit of fat (the yolk) in your whites.
Lemon. Cut a lemon in half and run this around your bowl before whipping your egg whites. This helps ensure your bowl is fat free, and adds a protective barrier for whipping those whites to stiff peaks!
Cornflour. An essential ingredient in meringue making, cornflour adds strength to the whisked egg whites, making it more stable and giving you that gorgeous marshmallowy centre.
100% pure Canadian maple sugar. Hello flavour! Making your meringue with maple sugar (preferably amber) adds the most divine caramel flavour to your pavlova.
100% pure Canadian maple syrup. A must for drizzling post-bake!
Berries. Choose an array of forest fruits such as strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries – all of which have a slight tart flavour that complements the sweetness of your meringue.
Cream. Make sure you use either double or whipping cream for this recipe. Single cream doesn’t have a high enough fat content to whip. You can add a tablespoon of maple sugar to your cream to add a little sweetness.

How to make the perfect meringue for this Valentine’s Maple Pavlova:

Collapsed meringue? Cracked meringue? Flat meringue? I’ve got you. Follow my failsafe tips for a meringue that holds its shape and bakes up a dream:

Buy cartoned egg whites to avoid any yolk (fat) getting into your whites
Remove any residual grease by wiping all your tools with a little lemon juice or white wine vinegar. A little grease can wreak havoc on your meringue whipping up properly.
Add a stabiliser to achieve a stable foam – usually in the form of acid like vinegar, lemon juice or cream of tartar. This makes your meringue crisp on the outside, and soft and sticky on the inside. In this recipe, we’re using cornflour.
Bake your meringue LOW and SLOW. Using a low oven temperature is crucial to baking a meringue perfectly. Once the baking time is up, turn the oven off but leave your meringue in the oven for at least 12 hours or overnight. The sugar in the meringue tends to pull moisture from the air so this will allow it to dry out sufficiently without being overly sticky.
Use high-quality sugar like 100% pure Canadian maple sugar. The small grains will dissolve easily in the foamy mixture.

Variations on this Valentine’s Maple Pavlova:

Berries are a classic on meringue, but if you’re looking for a few more ideas, here are some flavour combinations I love:

Banana, cream, toasted almonds and maple syrup
Orange curd, roasted rhubarb, pistachios and maple syrup
Peanut butter, chocolate ice cream and maple drizzle
Coconut, passion fruit and maple syrup
Cherry, plum, vanilla yoghurt and maple syrup

Did you know?

Maple syrup is classed based on its colour and flavour profile. The colours and flavours will change throughout the spring harvest and range from a light, delicate taste through to a dark, strong taste. Using the correct maple syrup in recipes changes everything.

Golden. This syrup comes from maple sap harvested at the very beginning of the season and has a sweet, delicate flavour. Perfect for topping yoghurts and ice cream.
Amber. A pure, rich taste and a magnificent amber colouring, this is fantastic for vinaigrettes and desserts.
Dark. This syrup has a more pronounced caramel flavour – perfect for cooking, baking and sauces and especially good for fruity dishes.
Very dark. This syrup is harvested at the end of the season and has a rich and distinctive flavour. Beautiful for sauces and glazes.

See how I made this Valentine’s Maple Pavlova over on Instagram!

Valentine’s Maple Pavlova

This Valentine's Maple Pavlova is a stunner to make for your loved ones. Serve with maple whipped cream, fresh berries and maple syrup.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 12 15

Cook Time 1 15

Total Time 13 30

Course Dessert

Servings 6 people

Ingredients

For the meringue

5 free-range egg whites
275 g 100% pure Canadian maple sugar
1 tsp cornflour
1 tsp lemon juice

For the topping

350 ml double cream or whipping cream
400 g strawberries sliced
300 g raspberries
100 ml 100% pure Canadian maple syrup + an extra 1 tbsp for the cream

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 140C / 120C fan / 280F. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment and draw a 20cm/8in diameter circle in the centre. This will be your template when spooning the meringue to create a perfect circle.
Using a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, or a handheld electric whisk fitted with a balloon whisk, whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Keeping the mixer going, slowly add the maple sugar, continuing to whisk until the mixture is thick and glossy and completely combined.
Fold in the cornflour and lemon juice. Your meringue should be thick, glossy and hold its shape well.
Spoon the mixture onto the circle on the baking parchment and using a pallet knife to smooth the meringue upwards to give the pavlova height when baked. Repeat all the way around the outside of the meringue.
N.B. You could save a little mixture at this point and fill a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle to pipe some beautiful meringue kisses for decoration.
Bake the meringue in the oven for 1 hour 15 minutes until crisp on the outside and dry underneath. Do not open your oven door at the end of the baking time. Rather, turn the oven off and leave the meringue in the oven to cool completely. I recommend leaving it for at least 12 hours, if not overnight for the best results.
Once cool, gently peel off the baking parchment and place on a plate to serve.
Whip the double cream with the tablespoon of maple sugar until soft peaks form.
Top the pavlova with the whipped cream and sliced fruit, then serve with a generous drizzle of maple syrup.

Notes

You can store your meringue once baked in an airtight container for 1-2 days. Alternatively, you can also freeze it for up to a month.

Keyword berries, Canadian maple syrup, dessert, maple sugar, maple syrup, meringue, pavlova, valentine’s, valentine’s day

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