Meringue Roulade with Chocolate Ganache

Think of a pavlova, but make it flat and treat it like a swiss roll cake: add fillings to your desire and slice it to reveal swirls of delicious layers in this meringue roulade. We’re going to make it like we usually do a pavlova, with some slight modifications: warming the sugar briefly (as I do in these chocolate meringues) to help the sugar dissolve quicker, and spreading the meringue flat onto a jelly roll pan, then giving it a short bake. Once cooled, it’s rolled up and ready for some delicious fillings! 

Recipe Origins 

I originally wanted to bring you a variation of something I’d shared via my substack a couple of years ago, a chocolate meringue roulade. I can’t seem to land on the recipe for that just yet so in the meantime I wanted you to have this: a vanilla version, which is quite similar to what I had originally based my chocolate version on (Mary Berry’s) but because I was unwilling to give up the chocolate, this one is layered with a dark chocolate whipped ganache. 

We also have unsweetened whipped cream and fresh berries. Think of it like a flat pavlova, wrapped around itself and served with all the fillings layered in. The meringue roulade is crispy on the outside and marshmallowy soft inside. 

Recipe Ingredients 

Egg whites: from large eggs. Absolutely no yolk should be in the egg whites or the meringue won’t whip to stiff peaks. 

Tip: cold eggs separate more easily with less likelihood of egg yolk getting in. Room temperature eggs whip quicker. 

Sugar: fine granulated. If yours is coarse, grind it in a food processor first. 

Tip: finer sugar will more easily whip into the egg whites. We’ll warm it first too, to ensure it dissolves quicker. 

Starch: I use tapioca starch but cornstarch works too. 

Vinegar: I use red wine vinegar but apple cider vinegar works too. 

Salt: fine sea salt. 

Vanilla: pure vanilla extract. 

Chocolate: this is for the whipped ganache filling; I use 70% dark chocolate. The dark chocolate contrasts nicely with the sweet meringue. 

Heavy Cream: partially for the whipped ganache filling and more to whip into cream to spread into the filling. 

Berries: fresh, for filling the roulade. Raspberries or strawberries work great here. 

How to make a Meringue Roulade 

Make the Roulade

Set the sugar on a pan and in the oven while it preheats to warm it 

Whip egg whites until frothy all over (even bottom of bowl)

Slowly pour in sugar, a spoonful at a time

Close to stiff peaks add the vanilla and salt 

At stiff peaks add the starch and vinegar 

Spread into the prepared pan 

Bake for about 23 minutes at 275 F 

Cool on the counter for 5 minutes or so then dust the top with powdered sugar and lay a sheet of parchment on top of the roulade and a tea towel on top of the parchment. 

Flip the meringue so it’s upside down, carefully peel the parchment off the bottom of it then dust with powdered sugar. 

Carefully roll the meringue from its shorter side into a coil: it’s ok if it cracks a little! 

Leave to cool for at least an hour but up to four. 

Make the Whipped Ganache 

Chop the chocolate so you have pieces that are around a centimeter (about a quarter of an inch). 

Set the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. 

Pour the heavy cream into a pot and set it over medium low heat. Warm it until it’s about 100 F, the cream should be bubbling slightly at the edges and the middle steaming. 

Pour the cream over the chocolate and stir then leave it for about 30 seconds. 

Stir until the ganache is smooth (if you find it is not melting, set the bowl over the pot where you warmed the ganache – the gentle heat can coax it along, but be careful not to overdo it or you’ll burn the ganache and it will split). 

Set the bowl in the fridge to cool until the ganache is not warm anymore, around 30 minutes. 

Use a hand mixer to beat the ganache until it’s airy and few shades lighter, adding a dash of salt and vanilla as you do. Use immediately or it will firm up. 

Make the Whipped Cream 

Essentially you’ll pour all the ingredients into a food processor and run the machine until the cream is thick. More detailed instructions on how to make a stabilized whipped cream can be found here. 

Alternatively, if you’d like to double down on the chocolate try this stabilized chocolate whipped cream recipe for the roulade. 

Fill the Roulade 

Close to serving time, gently unroll the roulade. Ideally you’ve just made the ganache (if that’s what you’re using) so it’s still spreadable. 

Spread the whipped ganache in an even layer over the roulade. Then spread the whipped cream and the fresh berries. 

Carefully roll the roulade back up. Serve within a few hours of filling. 

Questions You May Have 

Can I whip the meringue with a hand mixer or even by hand? 

I would strongly advise against it; personally I’ve only had success whipping a very small meringue with a hand mixer (eg. 2 egg whites). To ensure success, a stand mixer is necessary as it most reliably steadily whips air into the meringue. 

Can I make this ahead of time? 

The meringue itself can be made, rolled up and kept for a day at room temperature though chances are the humidity will cause it to lose its crisp exterior so I’d try to store it somewhere dry (eg. in the oven). I don’t recommend making and freezing it, you are unlikely to have the same contrast in texture after thawing. 

How do I know when it’s time to add the sugar to the egg whites? 

Before adding the hot sugar, it’s really important that you can see the bottom of the bowl to see the stage of the egg whites; use a glass bowl or stop the mixer and swirl the whites to see what’s going on at the bottom. You want the egg whites to be fully frothy, not just on top! This is when you start adding the sugar. 

Must I use a jelly roll pan? 

Yes – sorry! The shape is really what we’re looking for. I’d love to find a way for us to make an even bigger meringue roulade with a standard cookie pan but I’m not there yet. 

My meringue deflated when I took it out of the oven, what happened?! 

A little deflating is normal and okay. If it dramatically deflates and there’s no puff left in there, chances are something is going on with the heat in your oven (use a secondary thermometer to check the actual temperature) or there’s an imbalance in your ingredients. 

My meringue cracked when I tried rolling it up/unrolling it, why? 

Most likely it will crack – part of its charm. Here’s mary berry saying hers “will most likely do a big bold crack in the middle” which you can cover with decorations. Now if it cracks all over and it’s impossible to roll up, it’s a sign that it either baked too long or was left to cool too long before rolling. For baking time, aim for a firm, puffed meringue. For cooling, less than ten minutes as the meringue should still be warm when rolled. 

Making a roulade with the swiss meringue method 

I have successfully made this roulade with the swiss method so if that’s your go to, know that it will work here too. I do find it to be a more reliable way to ensure all the sugar dissolves before the meringue goes into the oven but I don’t always use it. 

Here’s how you would do it: set a pot filled about an inch or two with water over medium heat. Wait for the water to come to a simmer. Find a bowl that will fit into the pot without touching the water that’s at the bottom. Set the sugar and egg whites in the bowl and whisk them together really well. We’re basically warming the sugar/egg whites until the sugar is warm enough to dissolve, but stir it frequently as most of the heat is at the bottom and we want it to heat evenly. 

Once you can lift some of the mix up, pinch it between your fingers and not detect any sugar granules, it is done. You can now pour it into the bowl of a stand mixer and begin whipping to stiff peaks. 

Meringue Roulade Recipe

Meringue Roulade with Whipped Ganache

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Ingredients

Meringue Roulade

• 300 g fine granulated sugar
• 5 egg whites from large eggs
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon tapioca or cornstarch
• Powdered sugar for dusting
• Berries for filling (raspberries or quartered strawberries)
• Stabilized Whipped Cream half the recipe

Whipped Ganache

• 150 g dark chocolate chopped
• 200 g heavy cream or heavy whipping cream

Method

• Set the sugar for the roulade on a small pan, an 8 inch square cake pan or a quarter sheet baking pan work well. Place it in the oven on the middle rack and set the oven to preheat to 275 F (it’s important to double check the temperature of your oven, I suggest using an additional thermometer).
• While the oven preheats, place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer - it should be clean and free from any grease or oils. Affix the whisk attachment and begin to whisk on low, working up to medium speed. Whisk until all the egg whites are foamy, even at the bottom of the bowl.
• Once the sugar is hot and the egg whites are done with their initial whisk, spoon the sugar into the bowl while the mixer is on and whisking: one spoonful at a time, waiting 10 seconds before adding another.
• Once all the sugar is in, stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula to ensure none of the sugar is stuck to the edge of the bowl. Continue whisking until the meringue is very close to stiff peaks, it should be thick, creamy looking, and when you lift the whisk the meringue shouldn’t droop too much. Add the salt and vanilla and whisk.
• Note: you can also use the swiss meringue method. See above.
• Once you have stiff peaks, add the starch and vinegar and whisk to just combine. Don’t over do this step.
• Grease a jelly roll pan (10x15 inches) and place a sheet of parchment over it - the parchment should have overhang on all sides so the meringue does not touch the pan.
• Spread the meringue into the pan in an even layer, be gentle with it but swift. Swoops are pretty at the top but avoid leaving any part of the meringue that will be considerably thinner as these will be the points where it is more likely to crack later on.
• Bake the meringue for about 22 minutes, until it has puffed up, is matte and firm to touch. Take it out of the oven and set on the counter to cool for 5 minutes.
• Over the meringue lay a sheet of parchment paper and over the parchment, a flour sack or tea towel. Carefully (with oven mitts) flip the meringue upside down so it sits on the fresh piece of parchment. Lift the pan away and peel away the parchment that the meringue baked on. Dust the now exposed, bottom of the meringue with powdered sugar.
• Using the tea towel/parchment, slowly roll the meringue from the short side (you’ll have a short but fat meringue roulade) until it’s in a coil. It will probably crack a bit - don’t worry about it. Set aside to cool for at least an hour.
• Make the ganache: chop the chocolate finely and set it in a heatproof bowl. Warm the heavy cream until it's steaming and bubbling only at the sides (don't let it boil), pour it over the chocolate and stir quickly. Leave it for 30 seconds then stir until smooth and all the chocolate has melted. I usually add a pinch of salt and a dash of vanilla while stirring. Once smooth, set in a cool area to cool (you can use the fridge to speed this up but you'll want to check on it frequently) and thicken. When it's thick like a nut butter, use a hand mixer to beat it until it's a few shades lighter and fluffy.
• Carefully and gently unroll the roulade. Spread the ganache over it in an even layer, with swift but gentle swipes of an offset spatula. Spread the whipped cream on top and dot with berries (the smaller the berries the better). Roll up the roulade again, it's now ready to serve.

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