- 5 egg whites
- 275g/9žoz 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
- 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.