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On this occasion, a classic pavlova is being swapped for a wonderfully different sweet creation. Golden rounds of meringue with pistachio are layered with a lush pistachio cream and a vibrant cherry compote. Upon assembly, the discs become slightly under the cream, resulting in a soft and tender texture. This makes a wonderful alternative for a festive dessert that omits traditional rich ingredients.

Cherry and Pistachio Meringue Cake

Owing to the craze of a certain viral chocolate bar, ready-made pistachio spread is now readily available in local shops. It is already sweetened and offers a lovely, soft green hue. One might use pistachio butter if preferred, though the color may be duller and some added sweetness is needed to adjust the sweetness.

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

Instructions

Begin by warming the oven to 170C (150C fan)/340F/gas 3½. Line three baking trays with parchment paper. Take an 18cm cake ring, mark a circle on each piece of paper. Turn the paper upside down so the drawn lines don't come into contact the meringue.

Using a processor the 150g pistachios, icing sugar, cornflour, and salt until largely ground – some texture of pistachio are just fine.

Place the egg whites and whisk on medium until light and bubbly. Whisk more vigorously and mix until soft peaks form. While still beating, incorporate little by little the caster sugar until the meringue is glossy and forms stiff peaks.

Gently fold the pistachio mixture into the meringue, taking care not to deflate it. Spoon the meringue into a bag fitted with a large tip and cut off about 2.5cm from the tip.

Pipe from the outside of each outline, fill the circle with meringue onto each tray. Even it out carefully. Cook for 30 to 40 minutes until the meringues are lightly browned and are set to the touch. They should release easily when cool. Remove and cool completely.

In the meantime, combine the compote ingredients. Place all compote ingredients in a saucepan and heat gently until the cherries start to thaw and liquid forms. Increase the heat to boil and cook for 5-6 minutes until the cherries are tender. Remove the cherries with a slotted spoon to a bowl, leaving the juices in the pan. Simmer the syrup until it has halved in volume, then pour it over the cherries. Leave to cool.

Prepare the cream layer, beat the whipping cream and pistachio creme in a bowl until smooth and spreadable.

When building the cake, trim the sides of each meringue disc with a bread knife, for a clean edge. Position the bottom meringue on a serving plate and cover with a some of the whipped cream. Create a slight well (about 10cm-12cm wide) in the middle and spoon in some of the cherries (to stop the syrup from leaking). Place the second layer and repeat with more cream and cherries, setting aside a small handful for the finish.

Set the top layer and cover the top and sides with the remaining cream, spreading it with a knife. Pat the reserved pistachios onto the vertical surface.

Place the rest of the cream into a bag with a decorative tip and add decorative dollops on top. Garnish with the reserved cherries and chill until ready to serve.