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This year, the traditional festive pav is getting replaced for a equally impressive meringue-based treat. Baked layers of meringue with pistachio are layered with creamy pistachio filling and juicy cherry mixture. As it rests, the meringue layers give slightly beneath the filling, resulting in a soft and tender consistency. It's a wonderful alternative for a holiday sweet without traditional rich ingredients.

Cherry and Pistachio Meringue Cake

Owing to the craze of a recent social media sensation, pistachio creme is simple to source in many grocery stores. It is sugar-added and offers a beautiful pale green color. You could opt for pure pistachio paste instead, but the color may be duller and it may require 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

Directions

Begin by warming the oven to 170C (150C fan)/340F/gas 3½. Cover three trays with parchment paper. Trace around an 18cm plate, draw a circle on every sheet. Turn the paper upside down so the drawn lines aren't touching the meringue.

In a food processor the 150g pistachios, icing sugar, cornflour, and salt until mostly fine – a few chunkier pieces of pistachio are perfectly acceptable.

In a large bowl and whisk on medium until light and bubbly. Increase the speed and continue to whisk until the whites hold a soft peak. Keeping the mixer on, incorporate little by little the caster sugar until the meringue is firm, shiny, and holds its shape.

Using a spatula, fold the ground nut mix into the meringue, being careful not to deflate it. Spoon the meringue into a bag fitted with a large tip and snip off about 2.5cm from the tip.

Beginning at the perimeter of each outline, pipe a meringue disc onto each tray. Smooth the surface gently. Place in the oven until the meringues are gently colored and sound hollow when tapped. They should come off the paper when cool. Remove and cool completely.

Meanwhile, combine the compote ingredients. Put the cherries, lemon juice, and sugar in a pan and heat gently until the cherries start to thaw and liquid forms. Increase the heat to boil and cook for 5-6 minutes until the cherries are softened. Spoon the cherries to a bowl, leaving the juices in the pan. Boil the juices 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.

For construction, even out the discs of each meringue disc with a gentle sawing motion, using the 18cm guide. Place one disc on a cake stand and cover with a layer of the whipped cream. Make a shallow dip (about 10cm-12cm wide) in the center and spoon in some of the cherries (this prevents the syrup from leaking). Place the second layer and repeat with more cream and cherries, reserving a portion for the top decoration.

Set the top layer and cover the top and sides with the remaining cream, smoothing it with a offset spatula. Pat the reserved pistachios onto the vertical surface.

Put the remaining filling into a pastry bag with a star tip and create swirls on top. Garnish with the remaining fruit and keep cold until it's time to eat.