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For the holidays, a classic pavlova is making way for a wonderfully different sweet creation. Baked layers of meringue with pistachio are assembled with smooth nut cream and tart cherry sauce. While it sits, the meringue layers give slightly beneath the filling, resulting in a pleasantly chewy feel. This makes a wonderful alternative for a festive dessert without the usual suspects of chocolate and booze.

Cherry and Pistachio Meringue Cake

Owing to the popularity of a recent social media sensation, sweet pistachio paste is now readily available in many grocery stores. It is sugar-added and imparts a subtle verdant shade. An alternative is pure pistachio paste instead, but the hue might be muddier and it may require to sweeten it to taste.

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. Line three baking trays with parchment paper. Trace around an 18cm plate, mark a circle on each piece of paper. Flip the paper over so the drawn lines don't come into contact the meringue.

Using a processor the 150g pistachios, icing sugar, cornflour, and salt until finely processed – some larger bits of pistachio are desirable.

Using a stand mixer and mix initially until frothy. Increase the speed and beat until you have soft peaks. With the mixer running, incorporate little by little the caster sugar until the meringue is glossy and forms stiff peaks.

Carefully incorporate the ground nut mix into the meringue, taking care not to over-mix. Spoon the meringue into a large piping bag and snip off about a generous opening from the tip.

Beginning at the perimeter of each pencil template, 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. Take out and let cool.

While the meringues bake, make the compote. Place all compote ingredients in a saucepan and heat gently until the cherries begin to release juice. Increase the heat to boil and cook for 5-6 minutes until the cherries are softened. Remove the cherries with a slotted spoon to a bowl, leaving the juices in the pan. Boil the juices until it has thickened slightly, then combine it with the cherries. Leave to cool.

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

When building the cake, neaten the edges of each meringue disc with a gentle sawing motion, following the original circle. Place one disc on a serving plate and top with a some of the whipped cream. Create a slight well (about 10cm-12cm wide) in the middle and place some of the cherries (to stop the juices from spilling). Top with the next meringue layer and repeat with more cream and cherries, setting aside a few cherries for the final garnish.

Set the top layer and mask the cake with the rest of the pistachio cream, using a palette knife with a palette knife or bench scraper. Adhere the extra nuts onto the sides.

Transfer any leftover cream into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle and pipe rosettes on top. Add the the saved cherries and chill until ready to serve.