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On this occasion, my usual Christmas dessert is getting replaced for a wonderfully different sweet creation. Crisp discs of pistachio-infused meringue are stacked with smooth nut cream and a vibrant cherry compote. As it rests, the meringue layers give slightly beneath the filling, creating a delightfully cake-like feel. It's a fantastic choice for Christmas dining without traditional rich ingredients.

Cherry and Pistachio Meringue Cake

Owing to the trend of a certain viral chocolate bar, sweet pistachio paste is simple to source in many grocery stores. This product is pre-sweetened and provides a lovely, soft green hue. An alternative is pure pistachio paste as a substitute, though the hue might be muddier 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. Cover three trays with baking paper. Trace around an 18cm plate, outline a circle on the parchment. 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 – some texture of pistachio are just fine.

Using a stand mixer and beat at medium speed until frothy. Increase the speed and continue to whisk until soft peaks form. Keeping the mixer on, gradually add the caster sugar until the meringue is firm, shiny, and holds its shape.

Gently fold the processed nuts into the meringue, being careful not to knock out the air. Transfer the mixture into a bag fitted with a large tip and cut off about 2.5cm from the tip.

Pipe from the outside of each drawn circle, pipe a meringue disc onto each tray. Level the top using a palette knife. Bake for 30-40 minutes until the meringues are pale gold and are set to the touch. They should release easily when cool. Remove and cool completely.

While the meringues bake, combine the compote ingredients. Add the frozen cherries, lemon juice, and sugar in a pot and warm over low heat until the cherries begin to release juice. Let it come to a simmer and cook for five or six minutes until the cherries are tender. Spoon the cherries to a bowl, leaving the juices in the pan. Boil the juices until it has reduced by just over half, then mix it back with the cherries. Allow to reach room temperature.

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

For construction, trim the sides of each meringue disc with a bread knife, following the original circle. Set the first layer on a serving plate and spread on a layer of the whipped cream. Create a slight well (about 10cm-12cm wide) in the top and place some of the cherries (to stop the compote from running). Add another disc and layer again, setting aside a few cherries for the top decoration.

Add the last meringue and frost the entire 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 edges.

Transfer any leftover cream into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle and add decorative dollops on top. Add the the reserved cherries and refrigerate before serving.