Ingredients

• 5 egg whites
• 275g/9¾oz caster sugar
• handful small lemon verbena leaves
• 1 tsp icing sugar
• for dusting
• 350g/12oz strawberries
• hulled and halved depending on size
• 400ml/14fl oz double cream
• 1 vanilla pod
• cut in half lengthways and seeds scraped out

Directions

• For the meringues
• preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Line a large baking sheet with non-stick baking paper or a silicone mat.
• Whisk the egg whites in a clean
• glass bowl using an electric hand whisk until stiff peaks form when the whisk is lifted out. Gradually add the sugar
• one spoonful at a time
• and whisk well between each addition. Whisk until very stiff and glossy and all the sugar has been added.
• Spoon the mixture onto the lined baking sheet
• creating a 35x25cm/14x10in rectangle
• and smooth the surface. Sprinkle with most of the lemon verbena. Bake for 8 minutes
• or until golden brown. Reduce the temperature to 170C/Fan 150C/Gas 3 and bake for a further 12 minutes
• or until crisp.
• Lightly dust a sheet of baking paper with caster sugar. Allow the meringue to cool slightly before turning it out onto the baking paper
• lemon verbena side down. Leave to cool.
• For the filling
• put 200g/7oz strawberries in a blender and blend until smooth. Pass the mixture through a sieve into a bowl to remove the seeds.
• Lightly whisk the cream in a large bowl. Stir in the strawberry sauce and 100g/3½oz of the remaining strawberries. Spread the strawberry cream evenly over the meringue. Starting at the long end
• roll the roulade up using the paper to help you.
• Decorate the top of the roulade with the remaining strawberries and lemon verbena leaves and dust with the icing sugar.