One of my favorite desserts is a meringue roulade, which is very common in Ireland: Instead of using cake as in a traditional roulade, meringue is rolled up with whipped cream and fruit. I’ve made this for many a party and catering job to much acclaim, particularly in the US, because it’s not well-known here. After being struck by inspiration one day, I filled the meringue with bananas and then poured caramel sauce over the top. It was divine and literally melted in my mouth. I have unapologetically eaten this whole thing by myself on at least one occasion, and I’ll probably do it again.
Makes 8 servings
1 Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 10 x 15-inch rimmed baking sheet and line it with parchment paper.
2 Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or a handheld electric mixer, whisk the egg whites on low speed for about 2 minutes, until they start to foam.
3 Increase the speed to medium-high and whip until the egg whites thicken and double in volume.
4 With the mixer running, gradually add the granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, and beat until the meringue is stiff and shiny. Once all the sugar has been added, whip for 2 minutes more.
5 Spread the meringue evenly over the prepared baking sheet.
6 Bake for about 20 minutes, until the meringue is slightly firm to touch on top but still soft inside. Set aside in the pan to cool completely.
7 Meanwhile, whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
8 Lay a clean kitchen towel over the cooled meringue. Place a wire rack on top of the towel and, holding the rack and baking sheet together, flip them over. The baking sheet will be facing you now—lift it away and gently slide the rack out from underneath the roulade.
9 Carefully peel off the parchment paper. Don’t worry if there are some holes in the meringue—they’ll be covered by the whipped cream.
10 Spread the whipped cream all over the surface of the meringue (the side that had the parchment paper on it). Scatter the banana slices all over the cream and then drizzle with some salted caramel sauce.
11 Using the kitchen towel as your guide, gently roll up the meringue lengthwise like a jelly roll, enclosing the filling. Place the roulade on a serving platter, seam side down.
12 Dust liberally with confectioners’ sugar (to cover any cracks) and drizzle with even more caramel sauce, if you wish. Store in the fridge, covered, for up to 2 days.