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On this occasion, a classic pavlova is being swapped for a equally impressive meringue-based treat. Golden rounds of meringue with pistachio are stacked with smooth nut cream and tart cherry sauce. Upon assembly, the meringue softens slightly beneath the filling, resulting in a soft and tender texture. Consider it a fantastic choice for Christmas dining without traditional rich ingredients.

Festive Nut & Fruit Meringue Cake

Thanks to the popularity of a certain viral chocolate bar, sweet pistachio paste is now readily available in many grocery stores. It is pre-sweetened and imparts a lovely, soft green hue. You could opt for unsweetened nut butter instead, though the color may be duller and you'll likely need 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

Instructions

First, heating your oven to 170C (150C fan)/340F/gas 3½. Prepare three baking sheets with parchment paper. Take an 18cm cake ring, outline a circle on every sheet. Flip the paper over so the ink aren't touching the meringue.

Using a processor the 150g pistachios, icing sugar, cornflour, and salt until largely ground – a few chunkier pieces of pistachio are perfectly acceptable.

In a large bowl and whisk on medium until frothy. Turn up to medium-high and beat until the whites hold a soft peak. While still beating, slowly pour in the caster sugar until the meringue is firm, shiny, and holds its shape.

Gently fold the ground nut mix into the meringue, ensuring not to over-mix. Spoon the meringue into a large piping bag and cut off about an inch from the tip.

Starting from the outer edge of each outline, create a meringue layer onto each tray. Smooth the surface carefully. Place in the oven until the meringues are gently colored and are set to the touch. They should peel away cleanly when cool. Remove and cool completely.

Meanwhile, make the compote. Add the frozen cherries, lemon juice, and sugar in a pan and heat gently until the cherries soften. 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, keeping the liquid in the pan. Reduce the liquid until it has thickened slightly, then combine it with the cherries. Set aside to cool.

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

To assemble, trim the sides of each meringue disc with a bread knife, using the 18cm guide. Position the bottom meringue on a cake stand and spread on a generous amount of the whipped cream. Form a depression (about 10cm-12cm wide) in the middle and add some of the cherries (to stop the syrup from leaking). Place the second layer and repeat the process, setting aside a small handful for the top decoration.

Set the top layer and mask the cake with the leftover filling, smoothing it with a offset spatula. Adhere the extra nuts onto the sides.

Transfer any leftover cream into a pastry bag with a star tip and add decorative dollops on top. Top with the reserved cherries and refrigerate before serving.