A long time friend from country New South Wales gave me some duck eggs a while ago and it was the first time I had ever cooked with them. I knew that duck eggs made for beautiful sponge cakes, and I'd read that they were excellent for making any kind of meringue. Time to roll up my sleeves and try my hand at Yotam Ottolenghi's exquisite meringue roulade.
In October last year, Peter and I attended a literary lunch at Nomad in Surry Hills. The star of the event, other than Mr Ottolenghi himself, was a pretty meringue roulade filled with rose water mascarpone and dotted with pistachios, rose petals and plump raspberries. Not only was it a special-looking dessert, it tasted absolutely divine. Having made this sweet a few times over, my sous chef and OIC of Tasting, Peter, tells me that it is his NUMBER ONE favourite. I could almost agree.
The recipe is adapted from Ottolenghi's Plenty More. I've reduced the quantity of caster sugar, increased the mascarpone (note, I use my homemade mascarpone and home grown strawberries), and decreased the amount of plain cream. You can use raspberries, strawberries or any other of your favourite berries, methinks. The roulade is perfect for any festive occasion and will keep well if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator overnight. MERINGUE ROULADE WITH FRESH BERRIES, PISTACHIOS & ROSE PETALS 4 free-range egg whites (about 120g) - use duck or hen's eggs 200g vanilla-infused caster sugar 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar 1 teaspoon maize cornflour For the rose water cream: 250g mascarpone 1 tablespoon pure icing sugar, and a little extra for dusting 1 tablespoon rose water 100ml thickened cream For the filling and decoration: 150g fresh berries, washed, hulled, sliced if large 2 tablespoons dried rose petals or baby rose buds* 1 teaspoon chopped or slivered pistachios Preheat your oven to 160 degrees C. Line the base and sides of a 33cm x 24 cm Swiss roll tin with baking parchment. Use a sheet of paper slightly larger than the tin, as this will help with the rolling. In a large Pyrex bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Add the caster sugar a little at a time, followed by the white wine vinegar and the cornflour, and continue with the whisking until the mixture is a firm, shiny meringue. Using a palette knife, spread the mixture neatly and evenly into the prepared tin and smooth over the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until a crust has formed and the meringue is cooked through. Note, it should still feel soft when you touch it gently. Remove the tin from the oven and allow the meringue to cool in the tin. Meanwhile, spoon the mascarpone into a mixing bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer, then add the icing sugar and rose water. Whisk or beat until combined, then pour in the cream. Continue whisking until the cream is firm but not stiff. Take care not to over beat. Place a fresh sheet of parchment paper a work surface and, working carefully, tip the cool meringue onto the paper. Gently peel away the paper that you baked it on. Now, spread three-quarters of the rosewater cream evenly over the underside of the meringue, leaving about 1-2cms clear around the edges. Scatter half the berries and half the rose petals over the cream. Working with the baking paper, roll the meringue along the long edge into a roulade. Taking care, transfer the roulade to a serving platter. Spread the remaining rosewater cream over the top of the roulade. Unless you are ready to serve immediately, refrigerate the roulade for about half an hour Finally, sprinkle the rest of the berries and rose petals over the top. Finish with pistachios and dust with icing sugar. The roulade will serve eight. Preparation time about 30 minutes. Cooking time around 30 minutes. * Available from The Essential Ingredient and also Herbie's Spices. 
Tell me dear friends, have you ever cooked with duck eggs? Are you prepared for Christmas? Do you enjoy meringue? And what sweet things will be on your table this festive season?
29 Comments
Peter
12/12/2015 05:00:10 am
Yes. I love, love, love this and would be happy to eat it often. Please would you make one at xmas.
Lizzy
15/12/2015 08:18:04 pm
Yes, I might, or on my birthday, perhaps X 12/12/2015 07:23:44 am
Such a pretty dessert using many of my favourite ingredients. I love cooking with duck eggs - I can't pinpoint why but they definitely bring something special to desserts and baking.
Lizzy
15/12/2015 08:18:20 pm
They do, don't they, Christine. Thanks for stopping by. 12/12/2015 07:41:06 am
Just stunning! I was thinking I might make a roulade for Christmas. Now I am convinced!
Lizzy
15/12/2015 08:18:32 pm
Happy baking, Tania xx 12/12/2015 08:02:46 am
LOL thats so cute. I hope peter gets this at Christmas.
Lizzy
15/12/2015 08:18:55 pm
Oh, that is so very kind Mandy, thank you xx
Lizzy
15/12/2015 08:19:10 pm
Thank you Francesca, it is one of my favourites x
Eha
12/12/2015 06:26:56 pm
Love the festive look of this adapted and now almost Australian summer delight with a distinctly Middle Eastern feel! Who can lose with rosewater and pistachios . . . ? 12/12/2015 10:24:29 pm
Never used duck eggs -- would like to sometime. Need to make that happen (I know I can get them, sometimes, at farmer's markets). Anyway. this is great -- thanks. 13/12/2015 04:26:12 am
I always think of Ottolenghi and savoury dishes but he does sweet beautifully too! 13/12/2015 05:06:42 am
That's such a pretty roulade. What a great dessert. I love the middle eastern touch with the pistachios and rose petals. You photographed it beautifully xx
Lizzy
15/12/2015 08:20:30 pm
Charlie, that is very kind of you... we were about to eat it, so I didn't fuss terribly with my styling x 13/12/2015 12:57:49 pm
If Peter is the first one to comment than you know you've got a winner! A beautiful iteration of a really lovely recipe. How I long already for summer and a chance to make this. It was our first hard frost today - minus 1!
Lizzy
15/12/2015 08:20:54 pm
Kellie, thank you for your kind words. Stay warm and cosy my friend x 13/12/2015 04:46:45 pm
now we all hope peter gets his Christmas wish :-) it looks perfect for an aussie Christmas.
Lizzy
15/12/2015 08:21:08 pm
Oh yes, E, do try this! xx 14/12/2015 12:58:48 am
Wow, what a pretty dessert. Last night at my party, everyone arrived with a dessert, we had a traditional pavlova that was HUGE, it made me want to get my meringue on. Perhaps Ill give your recipe a go now. I have cooked with duck eggs, they are excellent. Kind of prepared for Christmas, although maybe not as I realised this morning it is next week.... Whaaaaat. I am thinking I will make a ginger bread trifle.
Lizzy
15/12/2015 08:21:29 pm
Gingerbread trifle sounds amazing Anna! xx This looks divine. I use duck eggs throughout the summer when my ducks are laying but sometimes find the whites take a long while to whisk stiff enough for meringue. This recipe will certainly be worth spending the extra time whisking! Not even remotely prepared for Christmas.
Lizzy
15/12/2015 08:21:55 pm
That's interesting Anne, I have not found that... but, yes, this is well worthwhile. Thanks for stopping by x 14/12/2015 04:52:26 pm
Liz, this is the prettiest dessert. Almost like eating a cloud - a very good one.
Lizzy
15/12/2015 08:22:10 pm
A lovely description, Maureen, thank you for your kind words xx 22/12/2015 02:18:08 am
Wow!! What a gorgeous dessert! Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
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Hi. I'm Liz. I'm a writer, cook and traveller based in Canberra, Australia.
I love the process of writing and the stringing together of words to form a story borne from the wisp of an idea. I also greatly enjoy cooking and travelling. Join me as I share with you my favourite recipes, postcards and morsels from my adventures, conversations with cookery writers and chefs, and news on food and cooking.  Search by topicNB: I use Australian standard measuring cups and spoons in my recipes.
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