This delicious meringue recipe would make a showstopping dessert for any dinner party (opens in new tab) you've got coming up - it's easy, tasty and feeds a whole crowd.
HOW TO MAKE PISTACHIO MERINGUE AND APRICOT LAYER CAKE
Ingredients
- 5 large free-range egg whites
- 275g (9½oz) caster sugar
- 200g (7oz) coarsely ground pistachio nuts
- ½tsp green food colouring (optional)
- 500g (1lb 2oz) mascarpone cheese
- 50-75g (2-3oz) icing sugar, sieved
- 400g (14oz) apricot compôte
you will need:
- 3 x 20cm (8in) circles baking parchment (not greaseproof, which sticks)
- 2 or 3 baking sheets
Method
Heat the oven to 130 C, 110 C fan, 250 F, gas ½. Whisk the egg whites in a very clean bowl until stiff. Whisk in half the sugar, a tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition until the meringue is stiff and glossy.
Fold in the rest of the sugar, the food colouring, if using, and the pistachios, reserving 3 tablespoons. Spread the meringue onto the circles, keeping 2.5cm (1in) inside the edges. Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes - if the meringues are on different oven shelves, rotate them once or twice during cooking. When the time is up, turn the oven off and leave the meringues inside for half an hour, before removing them and allowing them to cool completely on the baking parchment.
Mix the mascarpone with the sieved icing sugar to taste and reserve a couple of tablespoons for the top of the meringue.
To assemble, carefully peel the meringues off the baking parchment. Put one onto a cake platter, spread with half the mascarpone and then with half the apricot compôte. Place the second meringue on top, repeat, keeping a tablespoon of apricot compôte back, and top with the final meringue. Spread the reserved mascarpone in the centre, top with a dollop of compôte and scatter with the reserved ground pistachios. Serve within 1 hour of assembling.
-
Simnel cake recipe
Make this Simnel cake recipe up to a week ahead of when you want to eat it for a quick and easy pudding when you're hosting
By Samuel Goldsmith • Published
-
Dinner Party Mains
By Anna Matheson • Published
-
Easter carrot cake recipe
Our Easter carrot cake recipe makes a four-layered cake packed with fruit, nuts, and coconut. We think this might just be the best carrot cake ever!
By Jane Curran • Published
-
Chocolate and hazelnut roulade
This chocolate and hazelnut roulade comes with an optional Baileys Irish cream liqueur filling for an extra, festive twist
By Jen Bedloe • Published
-
Baileys Cheesecake
This no-bake Baileys cheesecake is so easy to make and perfect for cream liqueur lovers, plus it takes just 40 minutes to prepare
By Jess Meyer • Published
-
Chocolate torte with Baileys cream and salted praline
Serve this rich Chocolate torte with Baileys cream and salted praline for a festive dessert that makes a popular alternative to Christmas pudding
By Jen Bedloe • Published
-
Princess Margaret’s go-to dinner party game and hatred for squirrels couldn’t be more *her*
Princess Margaret’s go-to dinner party game is very unique and her fellow guests would never have known it was happening…
By Emma Shacklock • Published
-
Queen goes off-script to reveal ‘dinner party’ plans in unusually candid moment in Scotland
The Queen stopped to make casual conversation with the public during her visit to Scotland for Royal Week, a resurfaced video has shown
By Emma Dooney • Last updated
-
Duchess Camilla reveals her dream dinner party guests after 'boring' experience with neighbours
Duchess Camilla shared a list of fictional characters she'd invite to a dinner party after being forced to endure them as a child
By Emma Dooney • Last updated