Step 1

Preheat oven to 120C/100C fan forced. Draw a triangle, 14cm at base and 22cm in height, on a sheet of baking paper. Place, ink-side down, on a large baking tray.

Step 2

Whisk together egg whites and sugar in a large heatproof bowl. Place bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (make sure bowl doesn’t touch water). Whisk until sugar dissolves and mixture reaches 70C on a cook’s thermometer. Transfer mixture to another large bowl. Use electric beaters on high speed to beat for 10 minutes or until cooled to room temperature.

Step 3

Carefully spoon into a piping bag fitted with a 1.5cm fluted nozzle (see tip). Pipe meringue along triangle outline on paper. Pipe to fill centre of triangle. Pipe tree trunk. Pipe large peaks along triangle edge, starting at the top and working your way to the bottom, to create leaves (see tip). Pipe any remaining meringue into the centre. Use a palette knife to smooth the centre, leaving leaves intact. Bake for 1 hour or until crisp and dry. Turn off oven. Leave tree in oven, with door slightly ajar, for 1 hour or until cooled completely.

Step 4

Use electric beaters to beat the cream cheese and extra sugar in a bowl until smooth. Beat in lemon juice then cream until thickened. Spoon half the cream cheese mixture into a piping bag fitted with a 1.5cm plain nozzle. Gently fold 100g (1 ⁄3 cup) curd through remaining cream cheese mixture until well combined. Spoon curd mixture into a piping bag fitted with a 1.5cm plain nozzle.

Step 5

Transfer tree to a serving board. Spoon remaining 150g (1 ⁄ 2 cup) curd over the centre of the tree. Smooth the surface. Pipe alternating peaks of cream cheese and curd mixtures on top of curd to cover. Place in the fridge for 1 hour until chilled and firm.

Step 6

Pipe extra curd on top of the tree to decorate. Top with truffles, stars, cachous and gold leaf to serve.