A Middle Eastern take on the classic Eton Mess
Using an electric hand mixer, whip the cream, confectioners' sugar, vanilla paste or seeds and rosewater together in a mixing bowl until soft peaks form. With the mixer set on high, it should take about 3 minutes or so.
To make the sauce, mash the raspberries to a purée with the confectioners' sugar, rosewater and lemon juice in a bowl until the mixture is completely smooth. Pass the mixture through a sieve to remove the raspberry seeds.
In individual serving dishes, layer the cream, meringues and raspberries, drizzling on the sauce and scattering over the basil leaves and pistachios as you go. Decorate the top layer with a little drizzle of sauce and a final scattering of basil leaves and pistachios. Serve immediately.
Recipe from Ghayour, Sabrina. Persiana: Recipes from the Middle East and Beyond. Interlink Books, 2014.