Citrus Roulade

My favourite thing about a roulade is the container I bake it in – a simple roasting tin. Here’s the thing – you can improvise pretty much any tin-shape with imaginative use of tin foil. You’ve got to be quite neat if you don’t want any crinkly lines on the underside of your baking, but you can achieve an almost-perfect finish by lining first with foil and then with baking paper on top.

One thing’s for sure – you don’t need a swiss roll tin.

The roulade itself – it’s just meringue. For those who are struck with fear at this statement, don’t be. Meringue is really simple – it’s sugar and egg whites and once they’re combined, it’s all in the bake.

Rather than bake for ages and ages at a low temperature, this one involves a short, sharp blast in the oven, just enough for the top to crisp up a bit. It needs to still be soft enough to roll.

Step 1

First, preheat your oven to 200C/180C fan/Gas 6. Then, prepare your tin. I do this by lining a large flat roasting tin with tin foil, then lining it with baking paper. If your bowl is plastic or even slightly dirty, give it a good clean and dry.

Step 2

Start by separating your eggs, one at a time. Carefully crack your egg on the side of the bowl, catch the yolk in one side of the shell and let the white drain down into your bowl. Pass the yolk to your other shell-half so more white drains down, then keep the yolk in a cup in the fridge for later. Repeat with the other eggs. Make sure no yolk at all remains with the whites (pick it out).

Step 3

Use an electric whisk on its highest speed to whip your egg whites until light and fluffy – really very light indeed. Once stiff, add your sugar, a teaspoon at a time. This stops you adding it too fast. Once it is all incorporated, whip for a few minutes more.

Step 4

Scoop your meringue onto your prepared tin and flatten out with the back of your spoon to fill your tin. Once flat, place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. After this time, lower the temperature to 150C/130C fan/Gas 2 and bake for a final 20 minutes. Once done, lay another sheet of baking paper on a flat surface and turn your meringue upside down onto it to cool.

Step 5

Whilst that’s cooling, you can prepare the filling. Pour your cream and orange juice into a bowl and being to whip it using a hand whisk. Keep whipping until it just starts to thicken – JUST. And no more. Then, add in 3⁄4 of a jar of lemon curd and stir this in.

Step 6

After your meringue has cooled for at least 10 minutes, peel away your baking paper and spread your creamy citrusy mixture all over the meringue. Roll it up firmly. Transfer to a serving plate, drizzle with your remaining lemon curd and chill until serving. 

Top Tip

It’s very difficult to over-whip meringue. Nay impossible. So if in any doubt, keep whipping and whipping and whipping. You really should be able to hold the bowl upside down above your head. 

Enjoy!