Raspberry mini pavlovas are the most romantic dessert: fragile, blushing pink, and quivering with delicious promises.
How could you not fall in love with this gorge dessert?
The recipe for these mini pavlovas with raspberries was developed by Fernanda Iensen and it was a collaboration in styling & photographing them. I am proud to only work with people and businesses I truly believe in!
Jump to:
- Raspberry mini pavlovas are the most romantic dessert: fragile, blushing pink, and quivering with delicious promises.
- Bring in the romance
- Business Spotlight: Pipa's Bowl
- Why you are going to fall in love with this mini pavlova recipe
- Ingredients for Raspberry Mini Pavlovas
- Directions for making individual pavlovas
- Scaling the recipe
- Storage
- Making in Advance
- Dominant flavors and ingredients
- Top tips for easily making mini pavlovas with raspberries
- See our mini pavlovas story!
- Raspberry Mini Pavlovas Video
- Adaptations for raspberry mini pavlovas
- Mini pavlova variations:
- Equipment
- Accompanying Dishes
- When to Serve
- Other romantic desserts
- Pin for Later!
- Recipe
Bring in the romance
I am not one for celebrating Valentine's Day.
This stance comes from the firm belief that if we are in a relationship, and we're lucky enough to actually like the person we're in a relationship with, then we should take every day as an opportunity to celebrate our love and remind the other person that they are precious to us.
And if we're not in a relationship, as I often wasn't, or going through heartbreak, as I often was, then we really don't need a day to remind us of that.
But this year, I feel differently about Valentine's Day.
First off, I don't know about you, but I could really use the reason to actually celebrate something this year. It was a weird year two years, what with the pandemic and all, and there were too few celebrations - or even opportunities to properly celebrate.
Second, having added a little person to the mix definitely changed the balance of my marriage. Most of the time, we are either working or taking care of a little person. And there are too few opportunities to just be in love. Lack of babysitters or date nights a cause of the aforementioned pandemic is also a factor.
So taking all that into account, this year I am all about Valentine's Day.
And what says valentine's day more that a couple of pink raspberry mini pavlovas? Having those pavlovas created by a good friend who just started her own business, that's what!
Business Spotlight: Pipa's Bowl
I met Fernanda of Pipa's Bowl when she first came to Canada.
We were "set up" on a friend date, with the connecting friend saying that she was also a food blogger back in Brazil. We chatted briefly, gushed over each other's photographs (her blog was all in Portuguese, so I couldn't understand a word), and that was basically it.
Fast forward two years, and I was looking for an assistant to work with me on my events. When Fernanda's name came up in the resume pile, I knew right away I just had to work with this girl.
And now, another three years later, I am glad to say it was a match made in heaven.
Fernanda English is soft, with a musical Portuguese accent. Her movements are gentle and precise, whether she is styling a scene, helping a guest or scolding her daughter. And she makes me laugh, puts me in my place, encourages me when I feel down. In short, she's a true friend.
Why you are going to fall in love with this mini pavlova recipe
These raspberry individual pavlovas are going to WOW you with their delicate texture and balanced, ethereal taste.
I really think you're going to fall in love with these mini pavlovas! They are:
- easy to put together
- delicious
- so romantic
- endlessly customizable
- gluten-free
- beautiful
- can be made in advance
- can be made Keto
For more easy desserts:
You must use the category name, not a URL, in the category field.Ingredients for Raspberry Mini Pavlovas
To these lovely romantic mini pavlovas with raspberries, you need:
Raspberry coulis
- 250 g raspberries fresh or frozen
- ¼ cup of sugar
- ½ tbsp amaretto
Meringue
- 300 g icing sugar
- ½ tsp corn starch
- 6 egg whites
- 5 ml lemon juice around 1 tsp
Whipped cream
- 1 cup cold heavy cream
- 3 tbsp icing sugar
Toppings
- Fresh raspberries
- Icing sugar
Directions for making individual pavlovas
Prep the ingredients
Assemble all your ingredients. Keep the cream and eggs cold. Set up your standing mixer.
Separate the egg whites from the egg yolks (you can use the egg yolks to make lemon curd). In a medium bowl, whisk together icing sugar and cornstarch.
Preheat the oven to 255F.
Cook the raspberry coulis
Combine the raspberries in a saucepan with the sugar and the Amaretto and heat, stirring, until the raspberries break down and get soft, about 10 minutes.
Keep it in the fridge until you have everything ready to build the pavlovas.
Whip the meringue
Add the egg whites to your electric mixer bowl and whisk on medium speed (4-6) until it reaches a foamy stage. At this stage, you can add the lemon juice. Continue whipping.
When the egg whites are at soft peak stage, lower the speed to medium-low (3), and add the sugar mixed with the cornstarch, 1 - 2 tablespoon at a time. Scrape down the sides of the bowl at least once while adding the sugar. Do not rush this process. This can take about 10 -15 minutes. Continue whipping.
Once all the sugar is added, increase the speed to medium (4), and whisk the egg whites just until the sugar has completely dissolved, and the egg whites are thick and glossy and hold their shape well.
Pipe individual pavlovas on parchment paper
While your egg whites are in the electric mixer, cover your tray with parchment paper. You can draw the size of the pavlova or just do it without a measurement. We recommend a 9cm circle per pavlova, which is the size of a 1-cup ramekin.
Using a clean spoon, scoop the meringue from the bowl and fill the inside of your drawn circles, or shape a circle freehand. Pile the meringue in the middle of the drawn circle - you should end up with a dome.
Using an offset spatula, spread the meringue mix to fill the drawn circle on the parchment paper.
Bake individual pavlovas
Bake the pavlovas for 40-45 minutes. Do not open the oven door during this time.
After 40-45 minutes, open the oven and check if the pavlovas are hard on the outside. If they are, turn off the oven and open the door just a crack. Leave the pavlovas inside the oven to cool around 30 min.
Make chantily cream
In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk the cream and icing sugar until you have a soft chantilly.
Keep it in the fridge until you have everything ready to build the pavlovas.
Top mini pavlovas with chantilly cream and raspberry coulis
Assemble the pavlovas just before serving. Put a generous tablespoon of whipped cream in the center of each meringue. Drizzle generously with raspberry sauce.
Top mini pavlovas with fresh raspberries and sprinkle icing sugar
Top individual pavlovas with a few raspberries each, and finish with icing sugar.
Scaling the recipe
This recipe makes 8 mini pavlovas, each about 9-cm in size. You can easily halve the recipe to make a smaller portion. If looking for a perfect Valentine's Day dessert for two, then make two of these individual pavlovas!
Storage
Kept separately in airtight containers, the individual parts for these mini pavlovas will last up to a week. Meringue is best consumed within two days for the perfect texture, but will be delicious even afterwards. Wrap it in plastic and store in an airtight container if looking to make more than 2 days in advance.
For best results, do not assemble the raspberry mini pavlovas until ready to serve; the pavlovas will lose their crisp when topped with the chantilly cream.
Making in Advance
All the components for these raspberry mini pavlovas can be made in advance. Everything should be kept in the fridge for best results, until ready to serve.
The raspberry coulis can be made up to a week in advance. The chantilly cream can be made a day or two in advance. Finally, the individual meringues themselves can be baked two days in advance for best results. Do not assemble the final mini pavlovas with raspberries until the last minute, though.
Dominant flavors and ingredients
These delicate raspberry pavlovas are flavoured mostly with fresh raspberries, thought there is a touch of lemon in here as well.
When the raspberry flavour joins with the vanilla soft chantilly cream, the resulting mix tastes like a delicate, sweet cloud tinged through with a bolt of faintly sour berries - it's balanced, delicious and most of all, romantic.
If you're not a fan of raspberries, feel free to use any other berries you have on hand. You can even use frozen berries that have been defrosted.
These mini pavlovas would also taste great with my Meyer lemon curd.
Top tips for easily making mini pavlovas with raspberries
These beautiful individual pavlovas make for a gorgeous, romantic dessert, for a Valentine's Day dinner or for a special meal. To make their assembly even more of a breeze, here are my top tips:
- Make the meringues and raspberry coulis in advance - they're perfect if made up to two days ahead!
- If you don't have fresh berries, don't fret. Frozen berries work just fine
- If you don't have berries, spoon your favourite chocolate sauce, dulce de leche or even raspberry jam on top of the chantilly cream.
- For a really romantic presentation, shape the mini pavlovas into hearts instead of circles (you can use a cookie cutter and a piping bag to draw and then pipe out the shapes)
- If making everything in one day, then start by making preheating the oven, then make the raspberry coulis, then meringues, and while they're baking whip the cream. Easy!
See our mini pavlovas story!
Want to make these beautiful mini pavlovas? Check out our step-by-step mini pavlovas story!
Raspberry Mini Pavlovas Video
Adaptations for raspberry mini pavlovas
These raspberry mini pavlovas are naturally vegetarian, gluten-free and grain-free.
Keto and sugar-free
To make sugar-free keto mini pavlovas, use powdered Erythritol, Xylitol in a 1-to-1 ration, or stevia in a smaller ratio.
Mini pavlova variations:
- Mini pavlovas with Meyer Lemon Curd - replace the raspberry coulis for my homemade Meyer Lemon Curd.
- Chocolate mini pavlovas - add 1 teaspoon of cocoa powder to the meringue batter. Replace the raspberry coulis with homemade chocolate ganache, or your favourite store-bought chocolate sauce.
- Family-sized raspberry pavlova - instead of piping out small, individual pavlovas, just make two large pavlova circles. Layer them for an exquisite layered raspberry pavlova cake.
Equipment
For these raspberry individual pavlovas, you need:
- Liquid measuring cups (I like these)
- Solids measuring cups (I like these and these)
- Measuring spoons
- Parchment paper
- Small saucepan (I want this one)
- Standing mixer (if you don't have a standing mixer, you can use a hand-held mixer and mixing bowls)
If you're thinking about getting a stand mixer, here are ones I love, from the affordable to the deluxe:
- Spatula
- Spoons
- Baking sheets
Here are some baking sheets I like and use:
Accompanying Dishes
Making a whole romantic dinner to go along with these adorable mini pavlovas? I got you covered! Serve these raspberry individual pavlovas with these dishes, and see how your honey swoons:
- Endive salad with mozzarella, pecans and pomegranate seeds {GF}
- Enchanted rice with grapes, feta and pistachios, or the taste of teenage love
- Cast-iron pan-fried Sockeye salmon recipe with mustard, honey and wild herbs, or how to do camping at home
- Strawberry rhubarb gin fizz, and a GIVEAWAY of The Prairie Table cookbook {GIVEAWAY}
When to Serve
I plan on serving these individual pavlovas with raspberries on Valentine's Day.
You can also serve them for any family dinner, as well.
Other romantic desserts
If you're looking for more romantic desserts, try these ones:
- Gluten-free pear shortcake with tarragon and caramelized pear coconut ice cream {GF, Vegan}
- Gluten-free white chocolate lava cake with raspberries, and my winter self-care guide
- Get The Israeli Souk Experience With Breathtaking Pomegranate & Rose Vegan Malabi, A Custard Dessert That Will Make Your Head Spine
- How to make gluten-free peach Swiss roll, a retro cake to a new age {GF}
Pin for Later!
Recipe
Tried and loved this recipe? Please leave a 5-star review below! Your reviews mean a lot to me, so if you've got any questions, please let me know in a comment.
Raspberry Mini Pavlovas
Equipment
- Liquid measuring cups
- Solids measuring cups
- Standing mixer (if you don't have a standing mixer, you can use a hand-held mixer and mixing bowls)
- Spoons
- Baking sheets
Ingredients
Raspberry coulis
- 250 g raspberries fresh or frozen
- ¼ cup of sugar
- ½ tablespoon amaretto
Meringue
- 300 g icing sugar
- ½ teaspoon corn starch
- 6 egg whites
- 5 ml lemon juice around 1 tsp
Whipped cream
- 1 cup cold heavy cream
- 3 tablespoon icing sugar
Toppings
- Fresh raspberries
- Icing sugar
Instructions
To make raspberry coulis:
- Combine the raspberries in a saucepan with the sugar and the Amaretto and heat, stirring, until the raspberries break down and get soft, about 10 minutes.
- Keep it in the fridge until you have everything ready to build the pavlovas.
To make meringue:
- Preheat the oven at 255F.
- Separate egg whites from egg yolks (you can use the egg yolks to make lemon curd). In a medium bowl, whisk together icing sugar and cornstarch.
- Add the egg whites to your electric mixer bowl and whisk on medium speed (4-6) until it reaches a foamy stage. At this stage, you can add the lemon juice. Continue whipping.
- When the egg whites are at soft peak stage, lower the speed to medium-low (3), and add the sugar mixed with the cornstarch, 1 - 2 tablespoon at a time. Scrape down the sides of the bowl at least once while adding the sugar. Do not rush this process. This can take about 10 -15 minutes. Continue whipping.
- Once all the sugar is added, increase the speed to medium (4), and whisk the egg whites just until the sugar has completely dissolved, and the egg whites are thick and glossy and hold their shape well.
- While your egg whites are in the electric mixer, cover your tray with parchment paper. You can draw the size of the pavlova or just do it without a measurement. We recommend a 9cm circle per pavlova, which is the size of a 1-cup ramekin.
- Using a clean spoon, scoop the meringue from the bowl and fill the inside of your drawn circles, or shape a circle freehand. Pile the meringue in the middle of the drawn circle - you should end up with a dome.
- Using an offset spatula, spread the meringue mix to fill the drawn circle on the parchment paper.
- Bake the pavlovas for 40-45 minutes. Do not open the oven door during this time.
- After 40-45 minutes, open the oven and check if the pavlovas are hard on the outside. If they are, turn off the oven and open the door just a crack. Leave the pavlovas inside the oven to cool around 30 min.
To make whipping cream:
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk the cream and icing sugar until you have a soft chantilly.
- Keep it in the fridge until you have everything ready to build the pavlovas.
To assemble the raspberry mini pavlovas:
- Assemble the pavlovas just before serving. Put a generous tablespoon of whipped cream in the center of each meringue. Drizzle generously with raspberry sauce, top with a few raspberries and finish with icing sugar.
Kyleigh says
The recipe is super easy to follow!
kseniaprints says
Yes!!! And so, so delicious
kseniaprints says
And you're rewarded with a delicious dessert ๐
Audrey says
I love the raspberry! It makes these so good!
kseniaprints says
It's such a nice contrast to the sweet meringue!
kseniaprints says
Yes! THe fresh berries on top just take it to another level
Alexandra says
This is the perfect romantic dessert - we loved them, and will be making them again on Valentine's Day!
kseniaprints says
Oh I'm so glad!! Same here - we finished the last one yesterday
Marcellina says
There is no way I could resist these pavlovas! And so pretty! Your photos are stunning.
kseniaprints says
You are too kind! And you don't have to resist them - just make a batch and don't share ๐
Addison says
These are just the cutest!! I love raspberries!
kseniaprints says
Me too!! You'll lose these pavlovas, then!
Liz says
I've never tried these before! They sound so yummy!
kseniaprints says
They're like little yummy clouds, so delicious
Maddie says
These are almost too beautiful to eat...almost!
kseniaprints says
You'll have to get over it ๐ They're worth it!