Meringue wreath

Serves 6 to8

PASTRY CREAM (this will make 300ml) 1 egg yolk 50g caster sugar 1tbsp cornflour or cornstarch 250ml whole milk Seeds from ½ vanilla pod/bean 15g/1tbsp butter pinch of salt PAVLOVA MERINGUE BASE 4 egg whites 125g icing sugar 1tsp white wine vinegar 1tsp vanilla sugar or extract 1½ tsp cornflour or cornstarch FILLING 200ml whipping cream 150ml pastry cream *50ml/3½tbsp pistachio liqueur (try Serravinci Pistacchino) Homemade cherry sauce or ready-made fruit filling 50g chopped, toasted pistachios

to make 300ml pastry cream (use within 2–3 days in cakes or pastries), whisk together the egg yolk, sugar and cornflour/cornstarch. Place the milk in a pan with the vanilla seeds, bring to the boil, then take off the heat and pour one-third into the egg mixture while whisking. once whisked, pour back into the pan and bring back to boil, whisking all the time. let it thicken for a minute, making sure it does not burn, then remove from the heat and stir in the butter and salt. Pour into a bowl and leave to cool (place baking parchment on top to stop a skin forming). use only when cold.

Preheat the oven to 200°c/fan 180°c/gas 6.

to make the meringue, whisk the egg whites to soft peaks. Add icing sugar one spoon at a time, whisking continuously. Whisk for about 5 minutes. stir in the vinegar and vanilla. Add the cornflour/cornstarch and fold in.

on baking parchment, use a pencil to draw a circle of 20cm diameter, then a 10cm one inside. Place parchment on a baking sheet. spoon meringue into a piping bag and cut an opening at the end. Pipe into a circle on the parchment using the pencil lines as a guide.

turn oven down to 120°c/fan 100°c/gas ½. Place meringue on low shelf and bake for 1 hour. turn off the oven and leave inside with the door ajar for a few hours, or overnight if possible.

to make the filling, whip the cream, then fold in the pastry cream, then the pistachio liqueur. spoon into a piping bag, snip off the end and pipe on top of the meringue.

Drizzle over as much cold cherry sauce as you like – serve the rest separately. sprinkle on the toasted pistachios and serve immediately.