This is the perfect showpiece that is sure to impress your Valentine!

Ingredients:
4 medium egg whites; 225g caster sugar; 100g dark chocolate; 300ml double cream; 500g mixed berries – strawberries, blackberries, blueberries and raspberries, or you could use mixed fruit bags from the frozen aisle in your supermarket (defrosted and drained). Tinned fruit would also work but make sure it is drained well to stop the meringue going soggy.

Method:
1 Preheat the oven to 150°C (275°F/gas mark 1).

2 Line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper and draw a 23cm/9’’ circle onto it. I drew around my small frying pan.

3 Whisk the egg whites with an electric mixer until they form stiff peaks. Gradually whisk in the sugar 1tsp at a time, keeping the whisk going. Once all the sugar has been used, keep whisking for a couple more minutes until thick and glossy looking.

4 Spoon the mixture inside your circle and use a spoon to swirl it to the edges. Rough it up a little with the back of the spoon so it gives it a bit of texture.

5 Bake in the oven for about 1 hour 15 minutes until crisp on the outside.

6 Leave it to cool completely, still on the paper but on a wire rack. Wrap it loosely in greaseproof paper until you are ready to decorate it.

7 Put the chocolate in a bowl and place it over a saucepan of simmering water (make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water) and stir until just melted.

8 Lift the pavlova off the paper and place on your choice of serving dish, then drizzle some of the chocolate over the top. Use the rest to make decorations by swirling the chocolate onto a piece of greaseproof paper. I made a couple of hearts by dipping the spoon in the chocolate and ‘drawing’ them with the spoon. Chill these for 20 minutes then carefully peel off by sliding a butter knife underneath.

9 Whip the cream until it forms soft swirls, spoon over the pavlova then decorate how you like with your chosen fruit and add your chocolate shapes to finish.

If you don’t know what to do with your leftover egg yolks, check out our recipe for a tasty vanilla pannacotta.