Very Berry Meringue Roulade
Very Berry and Very Delicious airy meringue roll filled with fresh berries and a slighty tangy whipped cream. An easy, impressive dessert!
Mary Berry is a legend in the British Kitchen and her simple, elevated renditions of traditional British classics set the standard for how they should be made in the modern English kitchen. Her “Victorian Sandwich”, is a great example, the original of which is claimed to have been a favorite dessert of Queen Victoria.
While watching a cooking program on which Mary Berry prepared a baked meringue rolled around a filling of cream and strawberries, I was amazed to see that meringue could be manipulated into a roll. Who knew you could roll baked meringue! I didn’t and could only imagine it would crack into a crumbly mess.
Oh, how wrong I was and once I tried it, it was soft but firm enough to roll obediently over the berry and cream filling. So easy and quick, it was finished and chilling in the fridge within the hour.
And the experience of eating it? Much like a pavlova, it sits as a pillowly bit of heaven in your mouth! The berries are bright with just enough sweetness and you feel certain it must be good for you as there is nothing left in your mouth but joy! (and rarely any left on the plate after serving, whether serving 2 - 6 people and to be honest, I’m sure I could have managed an entire one myself, if in a dark closet by myself.)
Very berry meringue roulade
5 egg whites, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup toasted shelled and roasted pistachios or sliced almonds
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
powdered sugar for dusting
FOR THE BERRY FILLING:
1 cup heavy or whipping cream, whipped in electric mixer until thick.
2/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup fresh strawberries sliced
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 fresh blackberries
-Lightly oil a 9 X 13-inch baking pan with a raised edge and line with a sheet of parchment paper.
-Whisk the egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff but not dry. Add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, and continue to whisk, until all the sugar has been incorporated and the mixture comes to peaks which are stiff and glossy.
-Spoon the meringue onto the lined baking sheet and spread with a spatula to level the surface. Sprinkle the toasted nuts evenly over the top.
-Bake near the top of a preheated oven at 385 degrees for about 8 minutes until the top is golden brown.
-Reduce the oven temperature to 320 degrees and continue baking for 10 minutes or until the meringue is firm to the touch.
-Remove the meringue from the oven and immediately invert it onto another sheet of parchment paper. Peel the lining paper from the base and leave the meringue to cool for 15 minutes.
-Mix the pre-washed and dried berries together. Whip the cream until thickened, adding sugar just as the cream thickens then stir in yogurt and vanilla extract. Spread the whipped cream evenly over the meringue, to within an inch of each edge. Spread the berries over the top of the cream layer.
-Roll up the meringue from one long side, using the parchment paper to help lift it up and over the berry filling using just enough pressure to wrap it somewhat tightly. Wrap the entire roulade in parchment paper or waxed paper and leave to chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. Lightly dust with sifted powdered sugar before serving. Slice into about 1 1/2 inch slices. Serves (Recipe inspired by Mary Berry’s Strawberry Meringue Roulade)
Spread the meringue over the parchment lined baking tray and scatter nuts over.
Turn the baked meringue out onto a piece of parchment paper.
Spread the cream/yogurt mixture over the cooled meringue then scatter berries over the top of the cream layer.
Roll the meringue up and over the berries and cream filling gently but firmly.
Dust meringue roll with powdered sugar and slice chilled roulade into 1 1/2 slices.
What a delicious combo - sweet, airy meringue, tangy berries and cream, and salty, crunchy nuts! Wonderful tastes rolled up into one!
PERSNICKETY NOTES:
*The term roulade comes from French, meaning “to roll” and is most often used for rolled thinly sliced meats with various fillings, as in the German meat dish “rouladen”. However, the term has come to be used for rolled cakes and pastries as well. What we would usually call a cake roll is called a roulade in England.
*The only drawback to this dessert is that it doesn’t hold up well in the fridge for more than a day. It’s best to prepare it just a few hours ahead of serving and then chilled for no more than a couple of hours then served before the berries begin to weep and make the meringue soggy. But then that may give an incentive to your guests to eat some while the eating’s good!
*When working with egg whites for making meringue or to fold beaten egg whites into other mixtures, let the eggs come to room temperature first. Be sure there are no water droplets in the container where you place your whites and your mixing bowl, and beaters should be clean and completely dried.
