Hazelnut Meringue Roulade.

I'm posting this delicious summery dessert in the hope that it will encourage the spring sunshine to actually emerge... I just can't wait for it to be strawberry/raspberry season again! 

Another recipe from Mary's "Baking Bible", which is becoming my actual bible all too quickly!

This recipe was a huge success and made the ideal summer dessert after a neighborly barbecue. (we can only pray for the weather to be nice enough this year for another opportunity to make this!)

140g shelled hazelnuts
4 large egg whites
250g caster sugar
A few drops of vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon white wine vinegar
300ml whipping cream (for the filling)
225g raspberries (for the filling) - I used FAR more than this!
Icing sugar, for dusting

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius (170 Fan). Lightly brush two 20cm sandwich tins with oil then line the base of each tin with baking parchment.

Place the hazelnuts on a baking tray and put in the oven for about 10 minutes, then tip onto a clean tea towel and rub well together to remove the skins. Grind the nuts in a food processor.

Whisk the egg whites until stiff. Add the sugar, a teaspoonful at a time, whisking well between each addition. Whisk until the mixture is very stiff, stands in peaks and all the sugar has been added. Whisk in the vanilla extract and vinegar then fold in the nuts. Divide the mixtures between the prepared tins and smooth the top with a palette knife.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, but no longer. The top of the meringue will be crisp and the inside soft and marshmallow like. Turn out of the tins and leave to cool on a wire rack.

Whisk the cream until thick and use about two thirds to sandwich the meringues together along with about two thirds of the raspberries. Spread the remaining cream over the top, scatter with raspberries and dust with icing sugar.