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For the holidays, a classic pavlova is being swapped for a similarly delightful meringue-based treat. Crisp discs of pistachio-infused meringue are assembled with smooth nut cream and a vibrant cherry compote. Upon assembly, the meringue softens slightly from the moisture, achieving a delightfully cake-like feel. It's a wonderful alternative for Christmas dining without chocolate, alcohol, or dried fruit.

Pistachio and Cherry Meringue Cake

Inspired by the craze of a certain viral chocolate bar, pistachio creme is easy to find in most supermarkets. This product is sugar-added and offers a lovely, soft green hue. An alternative is pure pistachio paste as a substitute, though the hue might be muddier and it may require to balance the flavor.

Prep: 5 min
Cook: 2 hr 20 min
Serves: 12-16

For the Meringue Discs
150g pistachio kernels, plus an extra 50g, chopped, for garnish
50g icing sugar
1 tsp cornflour
A pinch of salt
165g egg whites
155g caster sugar

For the Cherry Compote
350g frozen cherries
Juice of ½ lemon
60g caster sugar

For the Pistachio Cream
600ml whipping cream
60g pistachio creme

Directions

Begin by heating your oven to 170C (150C fan)/340F/gas 3½. Cover three trays with greaseproof paper. Using an 18cm plate or cake tin, outline a circle on every sheet. Flip the paper over so the drawn lines aren't touching the meringue.

In a food processor the 150g pistachios, icing sugar, cornflour, and salt until largely ground – some larger bits of pistachio are just fine.

Using a stand mixer and mix initially until foamy. Increase the speed and mix until the whites hold a soft peak. Keeping the mixer on, slowly pour in the caster sugar until the meringue is firm, shiny, and holds its shape.

Gently fold the processed nuts into the meringue, being careful not to over-mix. Transfer the mixture into a large piping bag and snip off about 2.5cm from the tip.

Starting from the outer edge of each drawn circle, pipe a meringue disc onto each tray. Even it out using a palette knife. Place in the oven until the meringues are gently colored and are set to the touch. They should come off the paper when cool. Allow to cool fully on the trays.

In the meantime, prepare the cherry sauce. Add the frozen cherries, lemon juice, and sugar in a saucepan and heat gently until the cherries soften. Increase the heat to boil and cook for five or six minutes until the cherries are softened. Spoon the cherries to a bowl, leaving the juices in the pan. Reduce the liquid until it has halved in volume, then pour it over the cherries. Allow to reach room temperature.

Prepare the cream layer, beat the whipping cream and pistachio creme in a bowl until just thickened.

When building the cake, neaten the edges of each meringue disc with a gentle sawing motion, for a clean edge. Place one disc on a serving plate and top with a generous amount of the whipped cream. Create a slight well (about 10cm-12cm wide) in the middle and add some of the cherries (this contains the compote from running). Place the second layer and repeat the process, setting aside a small handful for the top decoration.

Add the last meringue and mask the cake with the leftover filling, smoothing it with a offset spatula. Pat the reserved pistachios onto the edges.

Place the rest of the cream into a bag with a decorative tip and pipe rosettes on top. Add the the saved cherries and keep cold until it's time to eat.