Succulent, bright red sweet strawberries are in season at the moment and there's no need to resist.
According to strawberry growers, eating eight strawberries a day will lower your blood pressure, improve memory and heart health. Sounds like a triple bonus to me!
Straight from the kitchen of cooking maven Jocelyn Hancock, comes this recipe for a delicate strawberry roulade.
Jocelyn would only use strawberries from Queensland's southern country, in season of course, but you might have to cheat a little.
Strawberry Roulade
Serves 8
Set oven to 200c to start, then 160c to finish
You will need
1 swiss roll tin, lined and lightly greased (33 x 25cm) and allow 2cm overlap of paper
Ingredients
5gm melted butter for brushing paper-lined tray140gm room temp egg white (approx 5 egg whites)
275g caster sugar
47g flaked almonds
Filling
300ml cream
1 tsp vanilla paste
30g icing sugar + icing sugar for dusting
1 punnet strawberries quartered or 1 punnet blueberries
1 punnet raspberries
Method
- Whisk egg whites in a bowl until soft peaks form, gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, still on high speed.
- When stiff and glossy, spread smoothly and quickly into a prepared tin. Sprinkle with almonds.
- Bake in the middle of the oven at 200c for 8 minutes then reduce temp to 160c for a further 15 minutes until just golden. The meringue will puff up and crack slightly.
- While baking, place the whipped cream a medium sized mixing bowl with vanilla and icing sugar. Combine until just firm, don't over beat.
- Remove meringue from the oven and set for a few minutes then invert onto a sheet of baking paper dusted with icing sugar. slide the whole meringue and paper onto a cooling wire. Remove top sheet of paper from meringue gently and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
- Top with whipped cream, allowing a 2 cm border on longer sides.
- Sprinkle with sliced strawberries/blueberries and raspberries.
- Create the roulade by beginning the roll with the longest edge closest to you. Once firmly rolled, fold the overlapping end paper under the roulade to secure the roll.
- Chill for a minimum of 2 hours before unwrapping and redesign with icing sugar.
- Serve with extra strawberries, fresh raspberries or poached rhubarb.
- Cut with a hot dry knife to achieve a clean and neat slice.
