Peach Melba Almond Meringue Cake

This almond meringue cake with peaches, raspberries and layered with Greek yogurt is a light and delicious gluten free summer dessert.

Crisp almond meringue layered with Greek yogurt and fresh peaches and raspberries, this dessert is light on taste – and calories! I made this Almond Meringue dessert as a light and delicious dessert with Australia Day in mind – this year will be our first Australia Day as Australian Citizens, so it will be a pretty special one for us! If you want a showstopping dessert without being rich and calorie laden, then this Peach Melba Meringue Gateau is for you!
It may look impressive, but it is actually very easy to make. The hardest part (the almond meringue) can be made a few days before you need it. All you have to do on the day is spoon on plain Greek yogurt and cut up peaches and then decorate.

I love using Greek yogurt in desserts as an alternative to cream. As well as being lower in calories, Greek yogurt is packed with protein, and the slight tang you get from plain unsweetened yogurt cuts through any richness. I can eat a dessert like this one and not feel ill afterwards, which always helps the enjoyment of eating it!!

The meringue layers are just egg whites, sugar and almonds, meaning this is a flourless gateau. As well as making a lighter dessert, it is also perfect for those on a gluten free diet.

You can leave out the sprinkling of almonds on top of the gateau, but the lime zest adds a fresh zing that just makes the flavours sing so I would advise you to include it if possible.

Can I make this dessert ahead of time?

The meringues will last for up to a week in an airtight container, but once the dessert is assembled I would serve it within a couple of hours for optimum impact. If you have leftovers, they will keep in the fridge for a day or so.

Is this dessert gluten free?

Yes it is!

Can I substitute low fat yogurt?

You can. However personally I am not a fan of low fat yogurts as they tend to be loaded with thickeners and other things to bump up the flavour and texture. I don’t believe these added extras are that good for you – they make me feel super sick too. As this is a special occasion dessert, I would suggest you go full fat.

Make it Your Meringue Cake

Nut free: you can make a plain meringue and leave out the sprinkling of almonds on top
Different fruit: whilst it won’t be the fruit of a peach melba, strawberries, blueberries, plums, nectarines would all be delicious.

If you are looking for more healthier takes on dishes, why not have a look at my Smoked Salmon Caesar Salad which has a herb vinaigrette rather than creamy dressing, Healthy oil free Granola recipe, or this veggie packed simple vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry