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This year, a classic pavlova is making way for a wonderfully different sweet creation. Golden rounds of nutty meringue are stacked with creamy pistachio filling and tart cherry sauce. While it sits, the discs become slightly from the moisture, achieving a soft and tender texture. This makes a fantastic choice for a holiday sweet without chocolate, alcohol, or dried fruit.

Pistachio and Cherry Meringue Cake

Inspired by the popularity of a well-known confection, sweet pistachio paste is simple to source in many grocery stores. This product is sugar-added and imparts a lovely, soft green hue. An alternative is unsweetened nut butter instead, however the color may be duller and you'll likely need 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

Directions

Begin by preheating the oven to 170C (150C fan)/340F/gas 3½. Prepare three baking sheets with parchment paper. Using an 18cm plate or cake tin, outline a circle on every sheet. Turn the paper upside down so the drawn lines won't transfer the meringue.

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

Place the egg whites and mix initially until frothy. Increase the speed and continue to whisk until soft peaks form. While still beating, incorporate little by little the caster sugar until the meringue is thick, stiff, and glossy.

Gently fold the ground nut mix into the meringue, being careful not to over-mix. Transfer the mixture into a bag fitted with a large tip and cut off about a generous opening from the tip.

Beginning at the perimeter of each outline, create a meringue layer onto each tray. Even it out carefully. Bake for 30-40 minutes until the meringues are pale gold and are set to the touch. They should release easily when cool. Allow to cool fully on the trays.

While the meringues bake, make the compote. Put the cherries, lemon juice, and sugar in a pot and heat gently until the cherries start to thaw and liquid forms. Bring to a boil and cook for five or six minutes until the cherries are tender. Transfer the fruit to a bowl, reserving the syrup in the pan. Reduce the liquid until it has thickened slightly, then pour it over the cherries. Set aside to cool.

To make the filling, beat the whipping cream and pistachio creme in a bowl until it holds soft peaks.

When building the cake, neaten the edges of each meringue disc with a small serrated knife, following the original circle. Set the first layer on a cake stand and top with a layer of the whipped cream. Form a depression (about 10cm-12cm wide) in the middle and place some of the cherries (to stop the juices from spilling). Place the second layer and repeat with more cream and cherries, reserving a portion for the top decoration.

Place the final disc and frost the entire cake with the rest of the pistachio cream, spreading it with a offset spatula. Adhere the extra nuts onto the vertical surface.

Put the remaining filling into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle and create swirls on top. Garnish with the saved cherries and refrigerate before serving.