Festive Meringue Christmas Tree with Winter Berry Compote

Prepare the Swiss meringue base by combining the egg whites and caster sugar in a large heatproof bowl. Set the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, making sure the base does not touch the water. Whisk constantly for about 10 minutes until the sugar grains have completely dissolved and the mixture feels smooth between your fingers (or reaches 70-72°C on a thermometer).

Transfer the mixture to a stand mixer and whisk on high speed until the meringue is thick, glossy, and completely cool. This process can take up to 25 minutes. The meringue should be stiff enough to hold its shape perfectly.

Preheat your oven to 140°C (120°C fan). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Draw circles with diameters of 8cm, 10cm, 12cm, 14cm, and 16cm on the parchment as guides, then flip the paper over. Pipe or spoon the meringue to fill the circles. Pipe one small 'kiss' for the tree topper. Sprinkle half of the pistachios over the meringue discs and bake for 50 minutes.

Check the smaller discs first; they are ready when they lift easily off the parchment. Remove the smaller discs and continue baking the larger ones for an additional 30 minutes. Once finished, let all meringue pieces cool completely on the baking sheets to ensure they stay crisp.