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On this occasion, my usual Christmas dessert is getting replaced for a wonderfully different sweet creation. Crisp discs of meringue with pistachio are layered with a lush pistachio cream and a vibrant cherry compote. While it sits, the meringue softens slightly under the cream, resulting in a delightfully cake-like texture. It's a fantastic choice for a holiday sweet without the usual suspects of chocolate and booze.

Pistachio and Cherry Meringue Cake

Owing to the trend of a certain viral chocolate bar, ready-made pistachio spread is simple to source in many grocery stores. It is sugar-added and provides a beautiful pale green color. One might use pistachio butter as a substitute, but 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

Method

Begin by heating your oven to 170C (150C fan)/340F/gas 3½. Prepare three baking sheets with baking paper. Take an 18cm cake ring, outline a circle on each piece of paper. Invert the paper so the ink aren't touching 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 mix initially until foamy. Whisk more vigorously and mix until the whites hold a soft peak. Keeping the mixer on, slowly pour in the caster sugar until the meringue is firm, shiny, and holds its shape.

Gently fold the pistachio mixture into the meringue, taking care not to over-mix. Spoon the meringue into a pastry bag and snip off about 2.5cm from the tip.

Starting from the outer edge of each drawn circle, create a meringue layer onto each tray. Level the top carefully. Cook for 30 to 40 minutes until the meringues are lightly browned and feel firm. They should peel away cleanly when cool. Allow to cool fully on the trays.

Meanwhile, make the compote. Put the cherries, lemon juice, and sugar in a saucepan and heat gently until the cherries soften. Bring to a boil and cook for about five minutes until the cherries are tender. Remove the cherries with a slotted spoon to a bowl, leaving the juices in the pan. Reduce the liquid until it has thickened slightly, then pour it over the cherries. Allow to reach room temperature.

For the pistachio cream, combine 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 gentle sawing motion, using the 18cm guide. Position the bottom meringue on a serving plate and cover with a generous amount of the whipped cream. Create a slight well (about 10cm-12cm wide) in the center and place some of the cherries (this prevents the compote from running). Place the second layer and repeat with more cream and cherries, setting aside a portion for the top decoration.

Set the top layer and cover the top and sides with the rest of the pistachio cream, smoothing it with a palette knife or bench scraper. Adhere the extra nuts onto the sides.

Put the remaining filling into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle and pipe rosettes on top. Top with the saved cherries and refrigerate before serving.