Seville Orange and Almond Roulade

This is just the most delicious way of topping up your Vitamin C levels!   Seville oranges are with us for such a short season, you really should make the most of their fabulous bitter-sweetness.  I started with Claire Macdonald's recipe for Seville Orange Curd, and then made a tart jelly using the orange skins.   Wrapping the curd in an almond-encrusted roulade and drizzling it with the jelly was my shortcut to meringue heaven....  If you haven't got time to make the curd, use lemon or orange curd and add a dollop of warmed sieved marmalade for that sour-sweet hit!.

Seville Orange and Almond Roulade

 Almond Roulade

5 egg whites (not too fresh)

10oz/280g caster sugar

2oz/50g flaked almonds

To serve:

1 jar orange curd

½ pint/280ml double cream, softly whipped

small quantity Seville orange jelly or sieved marmalade

Preheat the oven to 180 deg C and line a swiss roll sized tin (12” x 14”.30 x 35cm approx) with parchment, cutting diagonally into the corners so the finished roulade has a better shape.

Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then slowly add the sugar, a teaspoonful at a time.   Tip the mixture into the tin and smooth it out evenly using a flat bladed knife dipped in hot water.    Sprinkle on the flaked almonds as evenly as possible.    Bake for about 12 minutes or so – check, as it will brown quickly.   The meringue should be risen and pale golden.   Allow to cool in the tin. 

Turn out onto non-stick paper, carefully peeling off the parchment.  Spread with whipped cream, then the curd and roll up from the long side using the paper to help achieve the classic roll shape.   Drizzle with sieved marmalade or the orange jelly below.

Seville Orange Curd

Seville Orange Curd

Grated rind and juice of 2 Seville oranges

2 eggs, beaten

4oz/110g butter

4oz/110g sugar  

The best way to make this is in a double saucepan (one with a separate chamber below for the boiling water), but a heatproof bowl (Pyrex) on a pan of simmering water works just as well, if a little more slowly. 

Put all the ingredients in the bowl/saucepan, and stir until the sugar has dissolved.   Carry on heating it, stirring from time to time, until the mixture has thickened – it coats the back of the spoon, and then becomes more difficult to stir.  Strain through a sieve (important – it gets rid of any lumpy bits of egg) into small (clean) jars.   Cover the jars as per jam – with waxed discs and cellophane tops.  Alternatively, as you will be using this up quickly, cut circles of parchment to fit the jars, and then put the lids back on firmly.  

Seville Orange Jelly

Take the discarded orange peel and boil it hard just covered in water until the oranges are soft.  Squeeze out the oranges and add sugar to taste - 8oz/220g sugar to 1/2 pint/280ml liquid. Boil this again until almost jam setting point is reached.  This makes a bittersweet jelly which adds a little extra tang to the roulade.   (It will also go well on roast duck!)