Anna Louise The meringue roulade is one of Mary Berry’s signature desserts — a crisp-shelled, marshmallow-centred meringue baked flat in a Swiss roll tin, spread with cream and lemon curd, and rolled into a dramatic log that splits slightly on the outside as it rolls, showing the cream and lemon through the cracks.
I find the meringue roulade considerably less stressful than a standard pavlova to assemble. The rolling technique sounds alarming and turns out to be completely manageable — the meringue is flexible when fresh from the oven and rolls without breaking if handled confidently.
The filling — lemon curd and whipped cream — is vivid, sharp, and gives the most beautiful pale yellow swirl inside each slice when the roulade is cut.
This is the dessert I make when I want something that looks genuinely showstopping and that can be made entirely the day before. A meringue roulade, once rolled and refrigerated, holds its shape and its character beautifully overnight.
Ingredients for Mary Berry Lemon Meringue Roulade
For the Meringue Roulade
- 5 large egg whites — at room temperature
- Pinch of fine salt
- 275g golden caster sugar — added one tablespoon at a time
- 2 tsp cornflour
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 50g flaked almonds — scattered over the meringue before baking (optional but beautiful)
- 1 tbsp icing sugar — for dusting before rolling
For the Lemon Curd Filling
- 4 tbsp good quality lemon curd — shop-bought is excellent here, or make the homemade version from this site
- 300ml double cream, cold
- 2 tbsp icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
To Finish
- Extra lemon curd — drizzled over the rolled roulade
- Fresh raspberries — scattered over the top
- A generous dusting of icing sugar
- Extra whipped cream alongside
How to Make Mary Berry Lemon Meringue Roulade
Step 1 — Preheat and Prepare the Tin
Preheat your oven to 160°C / 140°C fan / Gas 3. Line a 33x23cm Swiss roll tin — or a 33x23cm baking tin — with baking parchment, leaving slight overhang at the short ends.
Step 2 — Make the Meringue
In a large, completely clean, grease-free bowl — I always wipe mine with white wine vinegar — whisk the egg whites with the salt on medium speed until they reach soft peaks.
Increase to high speed. Add the golden caster sugar one tablespoon at a time — whisking for thirty seconds between each addition. After all the sugar has been added, the meringue should be very thick, very glossy, and feel completely smooth between the fingers. Any graininess means the sugar has not fully dissolved — whisk for another two minutes.
Fold in the cornflour, white wine vinegar, and vanilla with a large metal spoon — three to four folds only.
Step 3 — Spread and Bake
Spread the meringue evenly into the prepared tin — pushing gently into the corners and levelling the surface as evenly as possible. Scatter the flaked almonds generously over the surface if using.
Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until the meringue surface is very lightly golden and feels firm to the touch. The centre should still have a very slight wobble — the marshmallow interior sets as the roulade cools.
Step 4 — Turn Out and Cool
Lay a fresh sheet of baking parchment on the work surface. Dust it generously with icing sugar.
Turn the baked meringue out onto the icing sugar-dusted parchment immediately — the almond side is now on the bottom. Peel away the lining parchment carefully. Leave to cool completely — approximately thirty minutes.
Step 5 — Make the Filling and Fill
Whip the cold double cream, icing sugar, and vanilla to soft peaks. Fold in three tablespoons of the lemon curd with two or three gentle folds — giving a lemon-swirled cream rather than a uniformly lemon cream. The swirl is part of the visual appeal when the roulade is sliced.
Spread the lemon cream evenly over the cooled meringue — going right to the edges. Dot the remaining tablespoon of lemon curd over the cream in small spoonfuls.
Step 6 — Roll
Using the parchment underneath as a guide, roll the meringue up from one of the short ends — rolling firmly and confidently. The meringue will crack on the outside as it rolls — this is correct and is the characteristic appearance of a meringue roulade. Do not be alarmed. Roll to the end.
Lift the rolled roulade carefully — using the parchment as a sling — onto a serving plate. Refrigerate for at least two hours — overnight is ideal.
Step 7 — Finish and Serve
Dust generously with icing sugar. Drizzle extra lemon curd over the top. Scatter fresh raspberries. Serve in thick slices — each one showing the pale yellow lemon swirl and the golden almond-studded exterior.
My Top Tips For Best Lemon Meringue Roulade
The meringue cracks when rolled — this is correct and completely expected. A meringue roulade that does not crack slightly on the outside has either been overbaked to a dryness that prevents it from rolling cleanly, or has been rolled so timidly that the roll is loose. A confident roll gives characteristic, beautiful cracks that show the cream through the exterior and are one of the most appealing things about this dessert.
Roll confidently — not tentatively. A tentative roll gives a loose, slightly unravelled roulade with a wide gap down the centre. A confident, firm roll gives a tight, defined spiral that holds its shape when sliced. Use the parchment to guide and support.
The flaked almonds go on the outside of the roulade when it is turned out. Because the meringue is baked almond-side up and then turned out before rolling, the almonds end up on the exterior of the finished roulade — giving a golden, slightly crunchy, deeply fragrant coating that looks and tastes completely wonderful.
The lemon curd swirl in the cream is more beautiful than a uniform lemon cream. Fold the lemon curd into the cream with two or three strokes only — enough to give a swirled effect visible in each slice, not enough to give a uniformly yellow cream that looks flat and undistinguished.
Refrigerate overnight for the cleanest, most defined slices. The cream filling firms overnight and the meringue softens very slightly into something with a texture between crisp and chewy that is specifically wonderful. A freshly made roulade sliced immediately gives softer slices. Overnight refrigeration gives the best possible result.
Serving Suggestions
In thick slices on individual plates with extra lemon curd alongside. As a dinner party dessert that is made the day before and requires no last-minute work. At any occasion where something vivid, dramatic, and specifically lemon is wanted.
How to Store Mary Berry Lemon Meringue Roulade
In the fridge: Store covered loosely for up to 2 days. The meringue exterior softens slightly over time but the flavour remains completely wonderful.
Freezing is not recommended — the meringue and cream both lose their texture on defrosting.
Mary Berry Lemon Meringue Roulade Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 160°C / 140°C fan / Gas 3. Line a 33x23cm tin with parchment.
- Whisk egg whites with salt to soft peaks. Increase speed — add sugar 1 tbsp at a time, 30 seconds between each, until very thick, glossy, and smooth. Fold in cornflour, vinegar, and vanilla — 3–4 folds.
- Spread evenly into tin. Scatter flaked almonds generously. Bake 18–20 minutes until lightly golden and firm on top.
- Lay icing sugar-dusted parchment on work surface. Turn meringue out immediately — almond side down. Peel away lining parchment. Cool 30 minutes.
- Whip cold cream, icing sugar, and vanilla to soft peaks. Fold in 3 tbsp lemon curd with 2–3 strokes — swirled not uniform. Spread over cooled meringue. Dot remaining lemon curd over cream.
- Roll firmly from one short end using the parchment to guide. Lift onto serving plate. Refrigerate 2 hours minimum — overnight ideal.
- Dust generously with icing sugar. Drizzle extra lemon curd. Scatter raspberries. Slice thickly and serve.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use passion fruit curd instead of lemon?
Yes — passion fruit curd gives a more tropical, more vivid flavour. The swirl of orange-yellow passion fruit curd through the cream is completely beautiful. See the passion fruit pavlova recipe on this site for the homemade passion fruit curd recipe.
Can I make this without the flaked almonds?
Yes — the almonds are optional. Without them the exterior is plain white meringue, which is equally beautiful in a more minimal way.
My roulade broke when I rolled it — what happened?
Either the meringue was slightly overbaked and too dry to roll without breaking, or it was not rolled while still warm. The meringue should still be warm from the oven when rolled. If it has cooled too much, warm the oven briefly to 100°C and place the meringue inside for five minutes to make it pliable again.
Can I add lemon zest to the cream filling?
Yes — the finely grated zest of one unwaxed lemon folded through the whipped cream gives an additional, more fragrant citrus note alongside the lemon curd.
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