Easy Lemon Meringue Roulade

This Lemon Meringue Roulade is absolutely off the scale delicious. It is sweet as you like, filled with lush lemon cream and surrounded by crisp, light, fluffy meringue. Its a huge crowd pleaser and surprisingly simple I promise.

Roulades crack and are just not the daintiest desserts I have ever made, BUT..... they make up for it in WOW factor.

They are much easier than you might think and I include tips and photos to help you feel the lemon roulade love at a table near you asap.

*Scroll down to the bottom of this post for the full printable recipe card*

Ingredients

300 grams Sugar ( one and a half cups) - white caster sugar is best but unrefined will be ok. It will give a more honey coloured meringue and stouter crispiness. Granulated will also have the same effect and may weep a little if the sugar has not completely dissolved.

5 Large Egg Whites - large

100 grams ( half a cup) Lemon curd - homemade or shop bought. Avoid the more solid ones are they are harder to stir into the cream.

400 mls Double Cream - double or whipping cream only as it will need to thicken

1 tsp Cornflour

• Preheat your oven to 140 C/275 F/Gas Mark 1
• firstly separate those egg whites from the yolks.
• empty the whites into a large, very clean and grease free, mixing bowl and whisk until frothy and slightly stiff. I use my free standing mixer but you can use an electric hand held whisk and a mixing bowl. However unless you are an extreme sports athlete, I don't advise you attempt it by hand.

• to those frothy egg whites add a tbsp of sugar at a time. I know it's damn tedious but apparently it helps the sugar dissolve adequately. I'm too scared not to do it too.
• the meringue will go all glossy and most importantly super stiff. Add the corn flour and whisk again. About 5 minutes. Don't settle until it is sits on your whisk in a strong quivering mountain as below pic.

• line a 33 cm x 23 cm baking tin with baking paper. I don't bother with the oil in the video just line the tin with the paper alone.

• empty out the meringue evenly in the tin with a spatula and smooth carefully level. Be careful to ensure the meringue reaches the edges evenly.

• bake for about 25 minutes until slightly golden brown and crusty as heck.
• whip your double cream until it is fluffy but not too stiff and grainy. If it does go too far then add some liquid cream to it and mix gently with a spoon.
• add the lemon curd to it and mix it through. Taste for tartness and add more if needed.

• allow the roulade to cool partially before carefully inverting/flipping onto a large piece of baking paper. This piece must be larger than the tin. This means the top will now be on the bottom against the new baking paper work surface and the original baking paper will be now be uppermost. Be brave but gentle.
• dollop the lemon cream across the roulade in little lemony cream piles.

• spread the lemon cream evenly.
• don't go too close to the edges.
• now here's the slick trick to rolling up a roulade baby. You simply cut ¾ of the way through the short side of the roulade, about 3 cm in from the edge.

•  take the baking paper and use it to roll the lip of the short side up and fold it along that cut so that this will form the centre of the roulade. Don't take any nonsense and pull the paper tight, you want the roll to be as rolled tight as you can. It will most likely crack. Take no prisoners and roll up firmly using the paper as you go.

• Here's a video to show you exactly how to roll it using the paper.
• Roll the lemon meringue roulade right onto your serving dish. If you are offended by the cracks then you can decorate with edible flowers for a chic look or pipe on cream swirls and top with slivers of sliced lemon for a more traditional vibe.

ALTERNATIVE ROULADE FILLINGS

• nutella melted a little in the microwave and then swirled through the whipped cream. About 100 grams.
• white chocolate, whipped cream and raspberries as seen here in my white chocolate and raspberry roulade.
• sliced strawberries or summer berries and sweetened cream.
• 100 grams melted dark chocolate, whipped cream and raspberries

TIPS AND TRICKS

• make sure your mixing bowl is super clean or the egg whites will not whip up. I crack each egg white into a cup one at a time before tipping into the mixing bowl to make sure I don't get any yolk in there.
• you can use the spare egg yolks to make  mayonnaise or ice cream.
• Use the softer type of lemon curd for easy mixing.
• you don't need a specific swiss roll tray just a tin that measures about 33 cm x 23 cm.
• measure your baking paper out carefully to fit the tin.
• make sure it is baking and not greaseproof paper as greaseproof paper will stick to the meringue as will silver foil.
• store leftovers covered in the fridge.
• you can freeze leftovers too double wrapped in clingfilm or silver foil. They will freeze well for up to a month.

If you like this meringue dessert then you may like these babies.

Meringues

Chocolate Pavlova

Strawberry Pavlova

Do let me know how you get on in the comments below or come on over and join me on my social media pages. I love a good old hairy chin wag x