STRAWBERRY AND ALMOND ROULADE

Adding ground almonds to the meringue gives the roulade a delightful chewiness, while the muddled strawberries are a perfect foil to the rich cream.

Serves 6-8

Vegetable oil, for greasing

6 egg whites

320g (11¼oz) caster sugar, plus 2tbsp for dusting

¼tsp white wine vinegar

1tsp cornflour, sifted

50g (1¾oz) ground almonds A pinch of sea salt

2tbsp flaked almonds

300ml (½pt) double cream 300g (10½oz) strawberries, hulled, plus extra to serve 3tbsp icing sugar, plus extra to serve

Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. Grease a 34 x 22cm Swiss roll tin and line with baking parchment, ensuring the edge of the paper fits exactly into the tin. Ensuring the bowl is clean and grease-free, whisk the egg whites in a stand mixer or using an electric whisk until they form stiff peaks. Gradually add the caster sugar, a few tbsp at a time, whisking continuously until you have stiff, glossy peaks. This may take up to 6-8 minutes. Fold in the vinegar, cornflour, ground almonds and salt.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared tin and smooth out using the back of a spoon. Bake for 8 minutes until golden, then turn down the oven to 160°C/fan 140°C/gas 3 and bake for another 20 minutes until just firm and slightly springy to the touch. Shortly before the meringue has finished cooking, scatter the flaked almonds on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 3-4 minutes, until golden and aromatic.

Place a large sheet of baking parchment on your work surface and dust with the remaining 2tbsp of caster sugar. Invert the meringue onto the parchment. The easiest way to do this is to place a thin chopping board, roughly the size of the baking tin, on top of the meringue, invert the meringue onto the board, peel off the baking paper and then carefully slide the meringue off the board onto the sugar-dusted baking parchment. Score a line 2cm (¾in) in from the edge along one long side of the meringue – do not cut all the way through.

Leave to cool for 10 minutes while you make the filling.

Whisk the cream until soft peaks form. Using a fork, lightly

mash half of the strawberries, so they still have a little bit of texture but have released their juice. Stir the mashed strawberries through the whipped cream and spread the mixture over the meringue, leaving a 1-2cm (½-¾in) border all round (pictured). Using the parchment to help, roll up the meringue (starting from the side with the line you scored). Wrap the parchment around the roll, place it seam-side down on a platter and chill for at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, blitz the remaining strawberries in a food processor with the icing sugar until smooth. Pass through a fine sieve into a bowl and set aside. To serve, remove the parchment, arrange some strawberries on top, scatter with the flaked almonds, dust with icing sugar, slice and serve drizzled with strawberry sauce.