This lemon roulade makes a fantastic dinner party dessert or alternative to birthday cake. Stick some candles on the top and you’re ready to go!
Our lemon roulade is the perfect balance of crunchy meringue, tangy lemon curd and rich whipped cream. It’s only 305 calories per slice if serving eight portions but it’s rich enough that you could serve smaller slices if you prefer. Try adding some sliced strawberries on the side to serve or a scattering of fresh blueberries.
Ingredients
- 5 medium egg whites
- 150g caster sugar
- 1 level tbsp cornflour
- Icing sugar, for dusting
For the filling:
- 180g lemon curd
- 300ml whipping cream
- 2 level tbsp icing sugar
WEIGHT CONVERTER
Method
- Set the oven to 150C (130C fan, Gas 2). Line a 33x21cm Swiss roll tin with a sheet of baking paper.
- To make the meringue, whisk the egg whites until stiff. Add 1tbsp caster sugar and whisk until stiff and incorporated. Repeat until all the sugar is added and then mix in the cornflour.
- Spoon the mixture into the tin and level the surface with the back of a spoon or palette knife.
- Bake the meringue for 45 minutes in the centre of the oven until it’s just firm to the touch. Cool, uncovered, for at least 1 hour.
- Turn the meringue out onto a sheet of baking parchment, dusted with icing sugar and peel away the lining paper. Spread over the lemon curd. Whip the cream with the icing sugar until it forms soft peaks and spread over the lemon curd.
- Roll up the meringue, from one of the short sides, using the paper to help roll it up. Transfer to a serving plate and keep chilled until ready to serve.
Watch how to make lemon roulade
Top tips for making lemon roulade
It’s important to heavily dust the baking paper with icing sugar when you turn the baked meringue out. It stops it from sticking and makes it much easier to roll. You can use a clean tea towel instead of baking paper if you prefer. If you’d like some more helpful tips and tricks, continue reading below.
What is the difference between pavlova and roulade?
The ingredients for these two classic desserts are roughly the same but the presentation and cooking is different. For a pavlova you pile the meringue onto a baking sheet, usually in a circular shape which is piled high. It is then baked low and slow to ensure the outside cooks and the inside is still chewy.
A roulade is spread onto a lined, rectangular baking tray and baked for a much shorter time because the meringue is in a thin layer and will cook quicker. The roulade is then filled, normally with cream, and rolled to create a log shape.
What flavours go well with lemon roulade?
Nuts such as almonds or pistachios are a wonderful addition to this recipe. To make the presentation of your roulade even more special, sprinkle the lined baking tray with flaked almonds before spreading over the meringue. Once baked, the outside of your roulade will have the almonds pressed into the outside.
What is the inside of a roulade?
Traditionally the filling of a roulade is whipped cream. If you’d prefer a lighter option you could use some thick yogurt instead. For this recipe you might like a lemon curd yogurt such as this one from The Collective. If you’d like a compromise, consider using half cream and half yogurt.
For this recipe you need a Swiss roll tin. This style of tin has low sides and is the perfect dimensions for a standard roulade recipe. You can use a regular baking tin but for the best results we recommend investing.
If you like this recipe you should try our lemon meringue pie. If you prefer cakes, our lemon meringue cake replicates the same flavours or this Mary Berry lemon drizzle cake is one of our most popular recipes.
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