Coconut Meringue Roulade with Lemon Curd and Raspberries

Food Network, Rachel Allen

Makes 6 servings

    Vegetable oil                                                  
    4 eggs                                                         
    8 ounces superfine sugar                                       
    2 ounces unsweetened shredded coconut                          
    FILLING:                                                       
    3 1/2 ounces heavy cream light whip                            
    4 ounces lemon curd (1/2c)                                     
    9-11 ounces frozen raspberries                                 
    TOP:                                                           
    Confectioners' sugar                                           
    Fresh raspberries                                              
    Mint leaves                                                    

Prep: 30 min/Inactive Prep: 30 min/Cook: 20 min
TOTAL: 1HR 20MIN

The meringue can be made a day in advance and stored unfilled and covered with foil. Just fill and roll the roulade on the day you intend to serve it.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9 by 13-inch Swiss roll pan or jelly roll pan with foil, folding the sides up to make a frame of 1 1/2-inches high and squeezing the corners together. Brush lightly with vegetable oil.

Place the egg whites in the spotlessly clean stainless steel bowl of an electric food mixer, or use a hand-held electric beater and whisk until soft peaks form.

Add all the sugar, but if using a hand-held beater, add the sugar in stages, and whisk at full speed for about 4 to 5 minutes, or until stiff peaks form. Using a large metal spoon, fold in the coconut firmly and quickly.

Smooth the meringue into the prepared tin with a palette knife, and bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until faintly browned and firm to the touch.

Allow the meringue to cool for a few minutes, and then turn out onto a sheet of foil (slightly bigger than the roulade) deftly turn it upside down onto the sheet gently removing the foil on the base. Allow to cool completely.

For the filling, stir the cream and curd together. Adjust to taste. It should have a good 'lemony'/'limey' tang to contrast with the sweet meringue.

Spread the curd cream mixture evenly over the meringue, leaving the long edge nearest to you, about 1 1/2 inches free of filling. Cover the cream with the fruit.

Holding the foil closest to you, roll up the roulade away from you and leave it in the foil until you are ready to serve (it will hold neatly here for a couple of hours in the fridge).

When ready to serve, unwrap the roulade, and gently push it onto a serving dish using a palette knife or cake slice.

Dust with icing sugar and decorate with a few more raspberries and mint leaves, if you wish.

Variations:
Irish coffee meringue roulade: Make as above, but fold in 1 tablespoon of instant coffee powder to the egg whites. For the filling: whip 15 fluid ounces whipping cream in a bowl, and fold in 1 teaspoon of instant coffee powder, 1 tablespoon of sifted icing sugar, and 2 tablespoons of Irish whiskey.

Meringue roulade with cherries and rosewater mascarpone: Make as above, but fold in 2 teaspoons of rosewater, 1 teaspoon of red or white wine vinegar, and 1 teaspoon of sifted corn flour (no desiccated coconut) and bake for 20 to 30 minutes. For the filling, soften 9 ounces mascarpone with a spoon, and then add 1 tablespoon of caster sugar, and 1 to 2 tablespoons of rosewater, to taste (you may need to add 1 to 2 tablespoons of cream to loosen the mascarpone and make it more spreadable). Spread over the meringue as described above. Scatter 11 ounces halved, and stoned fresh cherries over the mascarpone. Finish the cake, and decorate with extra cherries, if desired.

MY NOTES: Why on earth would you use tin foil? Impossible to remove, even with oil. Parchment or Silpat next time (although Silpat might interfere with cooking).

MXF