This week I made a Coconut and Lime Meringue Roulade in the tea rooms. It proved very popular, and by the end of the day only one smallish piece was left. I’m really excited to share this one with you and how it came about.

It was inspired by a dessert I made for the Queen’s Jubilee. I concocted a coconut meringue roulade and filled it with the red, white and blue of strawberries, whipped cream and blueberries. I found I had five egg yolks left over so I tried to think how I could use these.

Now, lime and coconut are one of my favourite combinations of flavours – I often make a lime and coconut cake. To use up the egg yolks I made a lime curd and used this with whipped cream to fill the coconut meringue roulade instead of using the soft fruit.

Ingredients

For the lime curd

4 limes zest and juice
4 ounces / 110 grams granulated sugar
5 large egg yolks
4 ounces / 110 grams butter

For the roulade

5 large egg whites
10 ounces / 275 grams caster sugar
4 ounces / 110 grams desiccated coconut
½ teaspoon of cream of tartar

To finish

400 ml double cream
Icing sugar

Directions

Separate the eggs

First separate the eggs putting the whites into a large mixing bowl and the yolks into a smaller heat proof bowl. Leave the whites at room temperature while you make the lime curd as you will get a better meringue if your egg whites are not cold.

Separated whites and yolks of eggs in different bowls — Separated whites and yolks of eggs. Yolks in heat proof bowl and whites in a larger bowl.

Lime curd

First make the lime curd as this will need to be cool before you can use it to fill the roulade. Add the sugar, lime zest and juice to the egg yolks and whisk together.

Sugar, lime zest and juice mixed with the egg yolks

Sugar, lime zest, lime juice and egg yolks after they have been whisked

Place the bowl over a saucepan half filled with hot water and add the butter, cut into small pieces.

Small pieces of butter being added to the whisked mixture in a bowl over a saucepan half filled with hot water

Put the saucepan over a moderate heat so that the water simmers and whisk the contents of the bowl until the mixture thickens. This may take 15-20 minutes.

Spoon being held in the whisked lime curd mixture showing that it has thickened.

When the curd will coat the back of a spoon it is ready.

Lime curd coated onto the back of a spoon being held above the bowl of lime curd.

Pour into a sterilised jam jar, cover and allow to cool. Store in the fridge. While the lime curd is cooling you make the roulade.

Roulade

Pre-heat the oven to 220°C / 200°C fan / 425°F / Gas Mark 7.
Grease and line a Swiss roll tin (23cm x 33cm) with baking parchment so that the parchment is at least 5 cm / 2 inches above the edge of the tin.

Baking parchment being added to a greased Swiss roll tin.

Add the cream of tartar to the egg whites and whisk until they form stiff peaks. I use a stand mixer but a hand held electric mixer will do the job. A hand whisk will be hard work and you will need a strong arm.

Egg whites in a bowl whisked to form stiff peaks with the whisk above the bowl.

When the egg whites are stiff start adding the caster sugar, gradually a scant tablespoon at a time, beating well between each addition.
When all the sugar is incorporated, continue beating until the meringue is very stiff and shiny.

Test that all the sugar is dissolved by rubbing a little meringue between your finger and thumb. It should feel smooth if all the sugar has dissolved. If it feels grainy whisk a little more until it feels silky smooth.

Meringue being rubbed between finger and thumb.

Fold 3 ounces / 90 grams of the coconut into the meringue.

Dried coconut added to bowl of meringue.

Spread the meringue evenly into the prepared tin, smoothing it out firmly and sprinkle the surface with the remaining coconut.

Dried coconut being spread on top of meringue spread evenly into the prepared Swiss roll tin.

Bake in the middle of the pre-heated oven for 10 minutes, then lower the temperature to 160°C / 140°C fan / 325°F / Gas mark 3 and cook for another 15 minutes, or until it feels firm and is deep golden brown.

While it is cooking place a sheet of baking parchment on your working surface and sprinkle with icing sugar.

Icing sugar being sprinkled through a sieve onto baking parchment on a work surface.

When cooked remove the roulade from the oven and turn out onto the prepared baking parchment.

Cooked roulade being turned out onto baking parchment on a work surface.

Baking parchment lining paper covering the cooked roulade on a work surface.

Remove the lining paper and trim the edges of the roulade with a serrated knife.

Cooked roulade with the baking parchment lining paper removed.

Leave to cool for 10 minutes.
While the roulade is cooling whisk the cream with about 2 tablespoons of icing sugar until soft peaks are formed. It must not be too stiff as it needs to be easily spreadable.

Cream being whisked with icing sugar showing soft peaks.

After the 10 minutes cooling, the roulade will still be slightly warm. If it is completely cold it will crack badly when it is rolled.

Spread the whipped cream evenly over the roulade.

Whipped cream being spread evenly onto the roulade with a spatula.

Spread a layer of lime curd over the whipped cream (you may not need it all).

Lime curd being spread with a spoon onto the top of the whipped cream on the roulade.

Now firmly roll up the roulade using the baking parchment.

Roulade being rolled up by using the baking parchment to fold it.

Place immediately in the fridge to chill for at least one hour, still wrapped in the baking parchment.

Roulade rolled into Swiss roll shape covered with baking parchment lining paper on a bread board.

When ready to serve unwrap the roulade and place on your serving plate. Any leftovers should be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Coconut and Lime Meringue Roulade

Course: DessertCuisine: Swiss, French, Polish, ItalianDifficulty: Medium

Servings

6-8

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Ingredients

For the Lime Curd
4 limes zest and juice
4 ounces / 110 grams granulated sugar
5 large egg yolks
4 ounces / 110 grams butter
For the Roulade
5 large egg whites
10 ounces / 275 grams caster sugar
4 ounces / 110 grams desiccated coconut
½ teaspoon of cream of tartar
To finish
400 ml double cream
Icing sugar

Directions

Separate the eggs
First separate the eggs putting the whites into a large mixing bowl and the yolks into a smaller heat proof bowl. Leave the whites at room temperature while you make the lime curd as you will get a better meringue if your egg whites are not cold.
Lime curd
First make the lime curd as this will need to be cool before you can use it to fill the roulade. Add the sugar, lime zest and juice to the egg yolks and whisk together.
Place the bowl over a saucepan half filled with hot water and add the butter, cut into small pieces.
Put the saucepan over a moderate heat so that the water simmers and whisk the contents of the bowl until the mixture thickens. This may take 15-20 minutes.
When the curd will coat the back of a spoon it is ready.
Pour into a sterilised jam jar, cover and allow to cool. Store in the fridge. While the lime curd is cooling you make the roulade.
Roulade
Pre-heat the oven to 220°C / 200°C fan / 425°F / Gas Mark 7.
Grease and line a Swiss roll tin (23cm x 33cm) with baking parchment so that the parchment is at least 5cm / 2 inches above the edge of the tin.
Add the cream of tartar to the egg whites and whisk until they form stiff peaks. I use a stand mixer but a hand held electric mixer will do the job. A hand whisk will be hard work and you will need a strong arm.
When the egg whites are stiff start adding the caster sugar, gradually a scant tablespoon at a time, beating well between each addition.
When all the sugar is incorporated, continue beating until the meringue is very stiff and shiny.
Test that all the sugar is dissolved by rubbing a little meringue between your finger and thumb. It should feel smooth if all the sugar has dissolved. If it feels grainy whisk a little more until it feels silky smooth.
Fold 3 ounces / 90 grams of the coconut into the meringue.
Spread the meringue evenly into the prepared tin, smoothing it out firmly and sprinkle the surface with the remaining coconut.
Bake in the middle of the pre-heated oven for 10 minutes, then lower the temperature to 160°C / 140°C fan / 325°F / Gas mark 3 and cook for another 15 minutes, or until it feels firm and is deep golden brown.
While it is cooking place a sheet of baking parchment on your working surface and sprinkle with icing sugar.
When cooked remove the roulade from the oven and turn out onto the prepared baking parchment.
Remove the lining paper and trim the edges of the roulade with a serrated knife.
Leave to cool for 10 minutes.
While the roulade is cooling whisk the cream with about 2 tablespoons of icing sugar until soft peaks are formed. It must not be too stiff as it needs to be easily spreadable.
After the 10 minutes cooling, the roulade will still be slightly warm. If it is completely cold it will crack badly when it is rolled.
Spread the whipped cream evenly over the roulade.
Spread a layer of lime curd over the whipped cream (you may not need it all).
Now firmly roll up the roulade using the baking parchment.
Place immediately in the fridge to chill for at least one hour, still wrapped in the baking parchment.
When ready to serve unwrap the roulade and place on your serving plate. Any leftovers should be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Alternative Ingredients for a Coconut Meringue Roulade

If you haven’t got time to make the lime curd use a jar of lemon curd, as lemon also goes very well with coconut and there are several very good quality lemon curds on the market.

If you prefer to use soft fruit to fill your roulade try 12 ounces of chopped strawberries and 8 ounces of blueberries folded into the whipped cream. Raspberries would also be delicious.

If you do make the lime curd and have some left over it is delicious with my blueberry and lime scones.

I do hope you try my coconut and lime meringue roulade – please let me know how it goes and send a picture if you do.

Happy Baking!

Tanya