🔗 Share this article

For the holidays, my usual Christmas dessert is making way for a similarly delightful dessert featuring meringue. Baked layers of meringue with pistachio are stacked with a lush pistachio cream and a vibrant cherry compote. As it rests, the meringue softens slightly beneath the filling, creating a soft and tender feel. Consider it a superb option for a festive dessert without chocolate, alcohol, or dried fruit.

Cherry and Pistachio Meringue Cake

Thanks to the craze of a well-known confection, sweet pistachio paste is simple to source in many grocery stores. The spread is already sweetened and imparts a beautiful pale green color. An alternative is unsweetened nut butter if preferred, 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

Directions

First, heating your oven to 170C (150C fan)/340F/gas 3½. Prepare three baking sheets with baking paper. Trace around an 18cm plate, outline a circle on the parchment. Invert the paper so the pen marks won't transfer the meringue.

Using a processor the 150g pistachios, icing sugar, cornflour, and salt until largely ground – some texture of pistachio are perfectly acceptable.

In a large bowl and whisk on medium until foamy. Increase the speed and continue to whisk until you have soft peaks. With the mixer running, slowly pour in the caster sugar until the meringue is glossy and forms stiff peaks.

Carefully incorporate the pistachio mixture into the meringue, ensuring not to over-mix. Place the batter into a large piping bag and trim about a generous opening from the tip.

Beginning at the perimeter of each outline, pipe a meringue disc onto each tray. Even it out using a palette knife. Place in the oven until the meringues are gently colored and are set to the touch. They should come off the paper when cool. Take out and let cool.

Meanwhile, make the compote. Add the frozen cherries, lemon juice, and sugar in a pan and warm over low heat until the cherries begin to release juice. Increase the heat to boil and cook for about five minutes until the cherries are softened. Remove the cherries with a slotted spoon to a bowl, keeping the liquid in the pan. Reduce the liquid until it has thickened slightly, then mix it back with the cherries. Allow to reach room temperature.

To make the filling, beat the whipping cream and pistachio creme in a bowl until smooth and spreadable.

For construction, trim the sides of each meringue disc with a small serrated knife, using the 18cm guide. Set the first layer on a serving plate and top with a generous amount of the whipped cream. Make a shallow dip (about 10cm-12cm wide) in the center and spoon in some of the cherries (this contains the juices from spilling). Place the second layer and repeat the process, reserving a small handful for the final garnish.

Set the top layer and mask the cake with the leftover filling, spreading it with a offset spatula. Pat the reserved pistachios onto the sides.

Place the rest of the cream into a pastry bag with a star tip and pipe rosettes on top. Top with the reserved cherries and chill until ready to serve.