Our meringue layer cake, made with a lemon curd filling, is a real show stopper.
Crisp mallowy layers of meringue flecked with toasted pistachios are sandwiched together with a heavenly elderflower and lemon cream what’s not to love?
It’s super easy to make, too. The meringues can be made up top 2 days ahead. Once cool, store in a cool place in an airtight container between layers of baking parchment. Complete recipe from step 6 to serve.
If you wold like more advice on how to make meringues, and avoid some of the common mistakes, follow our expert guide on making the perfect meringues.
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Yields:
10 - 12
Prep Time:
30 mins
Cook Time:
40 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 10 mins
Cal/Serv:
512
Ingredients
for the meringues
200g
(7oz) pistachio kernels
325g
caster sugar
6
large egg whites
1tsp.
white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
for the filling
175g
(6oz) good-quality lemon curd
600ml
double cream, straight from the fridge
3Tbsp.
elderflower cordial
Directions
Step 1Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4. Spread the pistachios out in a roasting tin and bake for 5min to lightly toast. Set aside to cool. Meanwhile, draw an 18cm (7in) circle on a sheet of baking parchment, repeat on 3 more sheets of parchment, then place these on baking sheets.
Step 2When the pistachios are toasted, reduce the oven to 160°C (140°C fan) mark 3. Roughly chop 75g (3oz) pistachios and set aside. Add the remainder to a food processor and whiz with 1tbsp of the caster sugar until finely ground – be careful not to over-processor they will be become oily.
Step 3Put the egg whites in a large, clean bowl, or in the bowl of a stand mixer, and whisk to stiff peaks. Add the remaining caster sugar, 1tbsp at a time, beating well between each addition – the meringue should return to stiff peaks after each addition. Once incorporated, the mixture should be thick and glossy. Next whisk in the vinegar and vanilla. Fold in the finely ground pistachios using a metal spoon.
Step 4Divide the meringue mixture equally among the 4 circular templates on the baking sheets; spread out using the back of a spoonor palette knife to make4 neat, level circles. Bake for 40min, or until the edges are crisp – the insides should still be gooey. Remove from oven and leave to cool on the trays for 30min before transferring meringues to wire racks to cool completely.
Step 5 To make the filling: beat the lemon curd in a bowl to loosen to a drizzling consistency, or heat in a microwaveable bowl in short 5sec bursts until runny. Be careful to not let it get too hot – you just want to make it drizzle-able. In a large bowl, whisk the cream and elderflower until it just reaches the soft peak stage – be very careful not to over whip.
Step 6Place a meringue on a serving plate and top with a quarter of the cream, drizzle with a little lemon curd and scatter with a quarter of the reserved pistachios. Repeat the layering, finishing with clouds of cream on top, drizzle generously with lemon curd and scatter with the remaining pistachios. Serve.
GET AHEAD:
Make meringue discsup to 2 days ahead. Once cool, store ina cool place in an airtight container between layers of baking parchment. Complete recipe from step 6 to serve.
An experienced and highly skilled team of food writers, stylists and digital content producers, the Good Housekeeping Cookery Team is a close-knit squad of food obsessives. Cookery Editor Emma Franklin is our resident chilli obsessive and barbecue expert, who spends an inordinate amount of time on holidays poking round the local supermarkets seeking out new and exciting foods. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Her favourite carb is pasta, and our vibrant green spaghetti is her weeknight go-to. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating crispy corn and nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time (though she cannot resist a slice of tres leches cake). With a wealth of professional kitchen know-how, culinary training and years of experience between them, they are all dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work (and if they don’t – we’ll have the answer for why*) every time (*90% of the time the answer is: “buy an separate oven thermometer”!).
