A fat free sponge, no butter anywhere in this recipe and yet it feels both light and decadent to eat (we can thank the cheeky custard here). I don’t know what game we’re playing but I hope this means we’re all winning.
RECIPE:
MERINGUE ROULADE SPONGE
200g EGG WHITE (Approx. 4 Medium Eggs in total. The two remaining yolks we’ll use for the filling.)
75g CASTER SUGAR
100g EGG YOLK
100g PLAIN FLOUR
12g CORNFLOUR
1 Tsp VANILLA EXTRACT (Other flavour extracts would work well here, orange blossom for example is a favourite)
20-30g FLAKED ALMONDS (As always, if you can be bothered to toast them beforehand, you will be greatly rewarded with a richer flavour)
EARL GREY DIPLOMAT
1 ORANGE PEEL
5 EARL GREY TEA BAGS (We are making a STRONG infusion here because the other ingredients, the double cream in particular, will mellow the flavour and I really want us to feel the bitter tea flavour coming through)
250ml WHOLE MILK
2 EGG YOLK S
60g LIGHT BROWN SUGAR (Caster sugar can be used here if you don’t have it. I just like the darker notes this sugar adds)
20g CORNFLOUR
600ml DOUBLE CREAM (The elephant in the room? I never said the recipe would be totally fat-free, I couldn’t WOULDN’T create anything like that *wink wink. nudge nudge, say no more*)
PLUM COMPOTE
5 FRESH PLUMS (Plus 1-2 extra for decorating/snacking)
50g CASTER SUGAR
JUICE OF 1 ORANGE (the same orange from the peel used for the diplomat!)
BEFORE YOU START…
Grease and line a baking tray
Preheat your oven to 160^c (160^c fan oven, 170^c for other, less powerful ovens)
METHODS:
FOR THE MERINGUE ROULADE SPONGE…
Whisk the eggs until foamy, gradually add the sugar and whisk until stiff peaks. Add the yolks gradually and mix through until evenly incorporated. Sieve the flours and fold through in 3 inclusions DO IT BY HAND. DO IT SLOWLY SLOWLY (always checking bottom of the bowl when mixing as un-mixed ingredients like to hide there DON’T YOU. Pesky)
SPRINKLE & SPREAD: SPRINKLE the flaked almonds across the bottom of a lined baking tray and the SPREAD the roulade sponge mixture across the top in an even layer and bake for 12-15 minutes until starting to turn golden. While still warm remove from the parchment and roll, rolling along the longer side. Set aside to cool.
FOR THE EARL GREY DIPLOMAT…
Infuse the milk with the orange peel and tea bags (heat everything in a pan until steaming, cover with a lid or a makeshift lid using materials of your choosing- a tea towel? Maybe not. Foil/clingfilm?). Leave for 15 minutes before passing the mixture though a sieve - making sure to squeeze the tea bags and peels so they release all their flavour.
Make a Crème Pâtissière (“Crem Pat” Using nicknames because we’re PROFESSIONALS): Weigh out the infused milk and top it back up to 250ml (blame the teabags, greedy absorbent teabags). Return to the heat and heat until steaming.
Whisk the eggs, sugar and cornflour until a smooth paste. Pour over the hot infused milk and mix to combine. Return to the heat and cook until thickened and bubble. Remove from the heat, decant into a bowl and cover with clingfilm. Leave to completely cold.
Once cold, whisk up the crème patisserie (Crem Pat) mixture before whipping the cream to medium peaks (beginning to hold its shape but not stiff) and fold everything together evenly mixed through and it holds it’s shape (we need this diplomat to hold the roulade together so this is QUITE important)
FOR THE PLUM COMPOTE…
Remove the stones and chop roughly, combine with the sugar and orange juice in a pan and cook down until thickened.
TO ASSEMBLE: Slice a fresh plum for decoration and set aside. Spread a thin layer of the plum compote over the cooked and cooled roulade sponge. Follow by 2/3rds of the Diplomat cream , spready evenly and roll up with gusto! SWIFT MOVEMENTS DON’T HESISTATE. Once rolled, set in the fridge for 30 minutes (to get over the excitement of rolling?) Once set decorate with a haphazard (see photo) piped design of your choosing with the remaining cream, dots of any left over plum compote and fresh plums to finish! Serve chilled, will feed 10-12 lovely guests (keeps for 2 days in the fridge)
