Rhubarb meringue roulade with mascarpone cream

An utterly irresistible meringue roulade filled with mascarpone cream and rhubarb. Pink rhubarb looks particularly beautiful in this dessert, but if you don’t have access to it, simply use the red parts of regular rhubarb stalks and save the greener sections for a compote or another recipe. The rhubarb is soft and fragrant from roasting with honey and vanilla, the mascarpone cream is delicate and silky, and the roulade itself is crisp on the outside and marshmallow-soft in the centre. Rhubarb and meringue are truly a perfect pairing.

Note: The rhubarb must be completely cooled before assembling the roulade. It can easily be prepared a day in advance.

Ingredients for the meringue roulade:

• 4 egg whites
• 200 g caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon potato starch
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• a pinch of salt

Additionally:

• 4 tablespoons flaked almonds

Whisk the egg whites with the salt until stiff peaks form. Gradually add the sugar, one tablespoon at a time, whisking continuously until the meringue is thick, glossy and holds stiff peaks. Finally, add the lemon juice and potato starch and whisk briefly until incorporated.

Line a 28 x 38 cm baking tray with baking parchment. Spread the meringue evenly over the tray and smooth the surface. Sprinkle with the flaked almonds.

Bake at 180°C for approximately 12 minutes, or until lightly golden. Reduce the oven temperature to 140°C and continue baking for a further 20 minutes, until the surface is no longer soft to the touch.

Meanwhile, place a fresh sheet of baking parchment on the work surface. Remove the hot meringue from the oven and carefully turn it out onto the clean sheet of parchment, so that the almond side is facing down. Gently peel away the baking parchment from the base of the meringue. Leave to cool for about 15 minutes, or slightly longer if necessary.

Ingredients for the mascarpone cream:

• 150 g mascarpone, chilled
• 250 ml double cream, chilled
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

Place all the ingredients into the bowl of a mixer and whisk until thick and smooth.

Ingredients for the roasted rhubarb:

• 350 g rhubarb, cut into 5 cm lengths
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

Arrange the rhubarb on a small baking tray. Drizzle with the honey, lemon juice and vanilla.

Bake in an oven preheated to 200°C for 12–15 minutes, or until the stalks are tender, gently stirring once halfway through baking. Ideally, the rhubarb should retain its shape while becoming beautifully soft. Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely.

Assembly:

Spread the mascarpone cream evenly over the entire surface of the cooled meringue. Arrange the roasted rhubarb pieces over the cream. Starting from one of the shorter sides, carefully roll up the roulade, using the baking parchment to help guide and support it. Chill before serving. Once thoroughly chilled, slice diagonally and serve.

Enjoy!