Lemon and Blueberry Roulade

1. Line a 23 x 33 cm Swiss roll tin with non-stick parchment paper.

2. Preheat oven to 180 degrees fan or 200 c.

3. Make the lemon curd (you can buy lemon curd if you wish but home-made is lovely).

4. Sterilise a jar with boiling water for your lemon curd.

5. To make the lemon curd, whisk the softened butter and caster sugar in a bowl until it changes to a pale-yellow colour. Stir in the egg yolks and add lemon zest and juice and whisk until smooth. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water until the mixture thickens. Be careful not to let the water boil or you will curdle the mixture.

6. When the mixture coats the back of a spoon, it is ready.

7. Pour the mixture into your sterilised jar and retain 100g (about 6 tablespoons) for your roulade. Loosely cover your jar with cling film until it is cold enough to put lid on and store in the fridge. Cover the lemon curd for the roulade with cling film to stop it forming a skin.

8. To make the roulade, whisk the egg whites in a clean dry bowl until stiff. Gently add the sugar a tablespoonful at a time until it is stiff and silky.

9. Add the mixture to the lined Swiss roll tin and smooth out. Sprinkle the top with flaked almonds and put in oven.

10. Bake at 180 degrees fan or 200 degrees centigrade for 8 to 10 minutes until golden brown the reduce heat to 140 degrees fan, 160 c for a further 15 minutes.

11. Remove from oven and allow to cool in tin for a couple of minutes then turn upside down onto a sheet of baking parchment so that the almonds are on the bottom.

12. Allow to cool for 15 minutes.

13. When the meringue is cold, whip the double cream then gently swirl in the reserved lemon curd and spread over the cooled meringue.

14. Dot the cream with blueberries.

15. Trim one side of the meringue (the long side) to give a smooth edge and then using the parchment paper, tightly roll the roulade, and then side it onto a serving plate with the join underneath.

16. Garnish with blueberries and dust with icing sugar before serving and enjoying.

Ingredients

5 egg whites

10 oz caster sugar

1 small pack blueberries

3 oz flaked almonds

300 ml double cream

Icing sugar for dusting

For the lemon curd:

(this makes more than needed for the roulade but will give you some extra to keep in your fridge and enjoy)

5 egg yolks

10 oz caster sugar

4 oz softened butter

Juice and zest of 3 large lemons

4. Pour the mix into the greased cake tin and bake for 35 minutes.

5. Whilst cake is baking cut out stencil of St. James’ cross.

6. Cool cake in tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

7. Place the stencil of St. James’ cross on top of the cake and dust the cake with icing sugar.

8. Gently remove the stencil leaving a clean image of the cross when you are ready to serve and enjoy.

½ tsp ground cinnamon Icing sugar for dusting Butter for greasing tin