Cocoa meringue roulade with mascarpone and toffeed figs

We all know the crisp crust of a pavlova is the best bit. So, turning a pavlova into a roll makes it a genius dessert. Outside it’s a crunchy pillow but inside it’s all cocoa-fudgy cream and fruit.

SERVES SIX TO EIGHT INGREDIENTS

Cooking oil spray

300g caster sugar

50g unsweetened cocoa powder, plus 1 heaped tbsp extra, for dusting

¼ tsp fine sea salt

½ tsp vanilla bean paste 180g egg white

(from approx 6 eggs)

¼ tsp cream of tartar 550g mascarpone or whipping cream, whipped

For the toffeed figs

8 small ripe figs (about 200g) – if not in season, try toffeed bananas instead

Caster sugar, as needed

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 150C/130C fan/Gas 2. Lightly spray a flat and heavy 30 x 40cm baking tray with cooking oil spray, then lay a piece of baking paper on the tray, to cover the entire surface.

Divide the sugar equally into two bowls, 150g in each. Leave one plain and add the cocoa, salt and vanilla to the other. Mix and set aside. You can sieve the mix, but any fine lumps will diminish by the end of mixing and spreading.

Put the egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, whip on high speed for three to five minutes. Once the whites have changed from foamy to stiff and white, start adding the plain sugar, one tablespoon at a time over three minutes, to make a very shiny and stiff meringue.

Turn the mixer off and pour the cocoa sugar mix into the meringue in one go. Before restarting the mixer, drape a tea towel over the top of the mixer, as the cocoa will fly out.

Turn the mixer on slow, increasing up to high and then whipping for 10 seconds. Remove the tea towel when the cocoa cloud subsides. Whip only for long enough to fling the white meringue in the centre back to the chocolatey sides. As soon as this occurs, take the bowl off the mixer and use your fingers to push the meringue off the whisk. Give it a final and thorough mix with a plastic spatula so the colour is uniform and the consistency is a little looser.

Overmixing after the cocoa is added will cause the meringue to deflate to a soupiness that will bake less airy and more fudgy. This is OK, just not the sweet spot.

Scrape the meringue out on to the prepared tray. Using a spatula, smooth it evenly over the tray, leaving a 1.5cm border around the edges to allow for some expansion during baking. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the top feels like a crunchy pillow.

Remove and cool at room temperature on the tray until ready to roll. Moving