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For the holidays, the traditional festive pav is being swapped for a similarly delightful dessert featuring meringue. Crisp discs of meringue with pistachio are stacked with smooth nut cream and a vibrant cherry compote. As it rests, the meringue layers give slightly beneath the filling, resulting in a pleasantly chewy consistency. Consider it a wonderful alternative for a festive dessert that omits traditional rich ingredients.

Festive Nut & Fruit Meringue Cake

Owing to the craze of a certain viral chocolate bar, sweet pistachio paste is now readily available in many grocery stores. It is sugar-added and imparts a subtle verdant shade. One might use pure pistachio paste if preferred, but the hue might be muddier and it may require 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

Method

First, preheating the oven to 170C (150C fan)/340F/gas 3½. Prepare three baking sheets with parchment paper. Trace around an 18cm plate, mark a circle on the parchment. Invert the paper 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 frothy. Whisk more vigorously 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. Transfer the mixture into a large piping bag and trim about a generous opening from the tip.

Beginning at the perimeter of each pencil template, pipe a meringue disc onto each tray. Even it out gently. Place in the oven until the meringues are lightly browned and feel firm. They should release easily when cool. Take out and let cool.

While the meringues bake, combine the compote ingredients. Add the frozen cherries, lemon juice, and sugar in a pot and heat gently until the cherries start to thaw and liquid forms. 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. Simmer the syrup until it has thickened slightly, then combine it with the cherries. Leave to cool.

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

For construction, even out the discs 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 some of the whipped cream. Make a shallow dip (about 10cm-12cm wide) in the top and spoon in some of the cherries (this prevents the juices from spilling). Place the second layer and repeat the process, reserving a portion for the finish.

Set the top layer and mask the cake with the rest of the pistachio cream, spreading it with a knife. Adhere the extra nuts onto the vertical surface.

Transfer any leftover cream into a pastry bag with a star tip and add decorative dollops on top. Garnish with the saved cherries and keep cold until it's time to eat.