Benjamina Ebuehi’s Gingerbread Roulade
If you're looking for a celebratory dessert to serve this Christmas, look no further than Benjamina Ebuehi's beautiful gingerbread meringue roulade. Each slice reveals a stunning swirl of whipped cream gently spiced with classic festive flavours of cinnamon and ginger.
From the book
I’ll Bring Dessert: Simple, Sweet Recipes for Every Occasion
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Introduction
When it comes to Christmas, one dessert just won’t do. I want it all, something hot and rich, something fruity and something spiced and creamy. Like this. Typically, I tend to stay away from biscuit spreads – they’re just not my vibe – but here it works so well in tying the gingerbread flavours together alongside the stem ginger and ground spices. Meringue roulades are always impressive and so satisfying when you cut that first slice and see everything swirled together.
Ingredients
| 70g (2½oz/generous 1/ 3 cup) | dark brown sugar |
| 200g (7oz/1 cup) | caster (superfine) sugar |
| ¼ tsp | ground cloves |
| 2 tsp | ground ginger |
| ½ tsp | ground cinnamon |
| 200g (7oz) | egg whites (from 5 large eggs) |
| 1½ tsp | cornflour (cornstarch) |
| 1 tsp | white wine vinegar |
| For the filling: | |
|---|---|
| 350ml (12fl oz/1½ cups) | double (heavy) cream |
| 1 tsp | ground ginger |
| 1 Tbsp | stem ginger syrup (from the jar of stem ginger) |
| 1 tsp | vanilla bean paste |
| 80g (2¾oz) | Biscoff biscuit spread |
| 60g (2¼oz) | stem ginger, finely chopped |
Essential kit
You will need: a baking tray at least 1cm ( ½ in) deep and a stand mixer or electric whisk.
Method
Preheat the oven to 200ºC (180ºC fan/ 400ºF/gas mark 6). Line a baking tray at least 1cm (½ in) deep with baking paper.
Mix the sugars in a bowl with the spices.
Add the egg whites to a clean, grease-free bowl. Whip on low speed until frothy. Increase the speed to medium-high and whip until you have soft peaks. With the mixer or electric whisk still running, start adding the spiced sugar mixture a tablespoon at a time, waiting about 20 seconds before adding more.
Once you’ve added all the sugar, the meringue should be thick and glossy, with stiff peaks. Add in the cornflour and whip again briefly until combined. Add in the vinegar and whip to combine.
Spoon the meringue onto the lined tray and use a spatula to spread it out evenly.
Bake for 22–25 minutes until the meringue is puffed up and the surface feels dry to the touch.
Turn the oven off and let it cool inside for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven to let it cool completely.
While it cools, make the filling. Add the cream, ground ginger, stem ginger syrup and vanilla to a bowl and whip until it thickens just a little, before you get to soft peaks. Stir in the biscuit spread and whip until it thickens to a spoonable consistency. Stir in the chopped stem ginger and set aside.
When the meringue is completely cool, Place a sheet of baking paper on the counter and quickly but confidently flip the roulade upside down. Peel off the baking paper that is now on the top. Spoon the filling evenly across the surface and, with a long side facing you, roll up the meringue, using the baking paper underneath to help you.
Place the roulade on a serving platter or board and chill in the fridge until ready to serve.
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