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This year, a classic pavlova is getting replaced for a wonderfully different sweet creation. Crisp discs of pistachio-infused meringue are assembled with smooth nut cream and juicy cherry mixture. While it sits, the meringue layers give slightly from the moisture, resulting in a delightfully cake-like consistency. It's a fantastic choice for Christmas dining that omits chocolate, alcohol, or dried fruit.

Cherry and Pistachio Meringue Cake

Owing to the craze of a well-known confection, sweet pistachio paste is simple to source in most supermarkets. The spread is pre-sweetened and offers a lovely, soft green hue. An alternative is unsweetened nut butter as a substitute, however 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

Instructions

Begin by preheating the 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.

Pulse together the 150g pistachios, icing sugar, cornflour, and salt until finely processed – a few chunkier pieces of pistachio are desirable.

Place the egg whites and whisk on medium until light and bubbly. Whisk more vigorously and mix until you have soft peaks. Keeping the mixer on, incorporate little by little the caster sugar until the meringue is thick, stiff, and glossy.

Gently fold the ground nut mix into the meringue, taking care not to knock out the air. Spoon the meringue into a large piping bag and trim about an inch from the tip.

Beginning at the perimeter of each drawn circle, create a meringue layer onto each tray. Level the top gently. Cook for 30 to 40 minutes until the meringues are pale gold and feel firm. They should peel away cleanly when cool. Allow to cool fully on the trays.

In the meantime, combine the compote ingredients. Put the cherries, lemon juice, and sugar in a pot and cook on a medium-low flame until the cherries start to thaw and liquid forms. Let it come to a simmer and cook for 5-6 minutes until the cherries are broken down slightly. Spoon the cherries to a bowl, leaving the juices in the pan. Reduce the liquid until it has halved in volume, then combine it with the cherries. Allow to reach room temperature.

For the pistachio cream, combine the whipping cream and pistachio creme in a bowl until smooth and spreadable.

To assemble, neaten the edges of each meringue disc with a bread knife, following the original circle. Set the first layer on a cake stand and top with a layer of the whipped cream. Create a slight well (about 10cm-12cm wide) in the center and place some of the cherries (this prevents the juices from spilling). Top with the next meringue layer and repeat the process, saving a few cherries for the final garnish.

Set the top layer and mask the cake with the leftover filling, smoothing it with a palette knife or bench scraper. Adhere the extra nuts onto the sides.

Transfer any leftover cream into a bag with a decorative tip and create swirls on top. Top with the reserved cherries and chill until ready to serve.