Everyone’s favourite meringue dessert gets dressed up. Watermelon-rose wreath anyone?

Everyone’s favourite meringue dessert gets dressed up for the big day.

This three-tiered berry and pistachio pavlova is a real showstopper. The pavs and the raspberry ripple can be prepared a day ahead, but should only be assembled at the last minute, and served without delay. Pictured p110. 165 gm (¾ cup) caster sugar

165 gm (¾ cup) raw caster sugar 225 gm (about 6) eggwhites 1¼ tsp white vinegar

1¼ tsp cornflour

20 gm finely chopped pistachio nuts, plus extra coarsely chopped, to serve Raspberries and sliced strawberries, to serve

Edible flowers (optional), to serve

RASPBERRY RIPPLE CREAM

125 gm (about 1 punnet) raspberries

2 tbsp pure icing sugar

600 ml pouring cream

300 gm (1¼ cups) crème fraîche Scraped seeds of 1 vanilla bean

1 Preheat oven to 150°C. Trace a 16cm-diameter circle on each of 3 separate pieces of baking paper. Place pencil-side down on lightly oiled baking trays. Whisk eggwhites and a pinch of salt in an electric mixer to soft peaks (4-5 minutes), then, with motor running, gradually add sugars and whisk until firm and glossy (2-3 minutes). Whisk in vinegar, then fold in cornflour and pistachio. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle and pipe evenly within circle templates. Place in oven, reduce temperature to 120°C, and bake until crisp but not coloured (1¼-1½ hours). Turn off heat and cool completely in oven with door closed

(at least 6 hours or overnight). Meringues will keep in an airtight container for a day.

2 For raspberry ripple cream, crush raspberries and icing sugar in a bowl. Whisk cream, crème fraîche and vanilla seeds in a bowl to firm peaks, add raspberry mixture and fold in to form ripples.

3 To assemble, place a pavlova on a serving plate, spread with a third of the raspberry ripple cream, top with another pavlova and repeat layering, finishing with a layer of raspberry ripple cream. Top with berries and flowers, and serve immediately.