Rosewater Pavlova Roll (Meringue Roulade)

Grab this easy meringue roulade recipe to make this amazing Pavlova roll perfect for any occasion. It is an interesting and pretty take on the traditional Pavlova with sweet meringue, tart raspberries, and toasted pistachios. Light, impressive, and full of flavors.

Whatever it is a beautiful summer day or a birthday party, Christmas holiday, or Valentine's Day, this gorgeous dessert will be a winner of the table.

I am bringing up a new cake - meringue roulade or Pavlova roll flavored with rosewater and filled with seasonal raspberries.

Meringue roulade

It is a stunning and yummy meringue dessert with so many names such as meringue roulade, meringue roll, Swiss meringue roll, Pavlova roll, and Pavlova cake roll, rolled Pavlova, Christmas yule log, Buche de Noel.

Not all the names correctly describe the roulade, but one thing they all have in common: delicious.

The beauty of this roulade recipe is that you have the amazing taste of meringue resembled Pavlova with a much shorter cooking time.

If the baking time for Pavlova is set for about 2 hours, this meringue is baked for 30 minutes.

If you are not experienced with the Pavlova shaping technique, you will enjoy simply spreading the meringue into a baking pan.

Rolling the meringue results in a bright, raspberry-filled center that looks elegant on the plate.

Add here that this meringue roulade is gluten-free, and it naturally becomes a universal dessert for everyone.

Also, enjoy other meringue-based desserts on my blog, such as Giant Egg White Meringue Dessert, crowd-pleasing French Meringue Cake Merveilleux, or individually served French Meringue Dessert Merveilleux.

I am updating the recipe making some changes in ingredients. Before, I made the same recipe, but used morello cherries instead of raspberries and decorated the cake with fresh rose petals.

What is the difference between a roulade and roll?

Both, a roulade and roll (Swiss roll) look very similar, but there is a difference between them.

A roulade is made using various pastries and can be sweet and savory. A Swiss roll is a roulade type and is made up of sponge cake rolled with a filling.

What is rosewater?

There is one versatile ingredient in the roulade recipe, which is rosewater.

Rosewater (also spelled rose water) is water infused with the flavor of roses. It is made by steeping fresh rose petals in water to release their essential oil.

Damask rose (Rosa x Damascena) is the most common rose used to make rosewater.

This ingredient is widely used in Persian, Middle Eastern, and Indian cooking.

French and British chefs also experiment with rosewater desserts, especially rosewater meringues.

Look for rosewater in the baking section of your favorite grocery store or online on Amazon. Top-quality rosewater is clear and transparent and not pink-colored.

Pay attention to the words "pure" and "distilled" on the bottle's label. My favorite rosewater is the one by Nielsen-Massey.

Take into consideration that some brands are so concentrated that even one or two drops are enough to use.

Baking with rosewater

Desserts are admittedly a natural partner for rosewater: from cookies and cakes to ice cream and cocktails.

If you are new to baking with it, remember that a little goes a long way. The key is to use rosewater in moderation.

A drop or two provides endless floral applications, intensifies simple ingredients, and brings a delicate flavor to desserts.

As per Bon Appétit,

Rose water is the little something that makes this ... recipe special.

Adding rosewater to your favorite cream, cake batter, or cookie dough brings an additional fruity aroma to the desserts.

Pairing it with fruits such as strawberries, raspberries, peaches, and rhubarb works as a complement to their natural sweetness.

Ready to give it a try? Here are some recipes (besides this roulade recipe) for baking with rosewater:

• Raspberry Almond Cake Ispahan
• Classic Strawberry Eton Mess
• Raspberry Madeleines Dessert Ispahan

Why you should try this recipe

1. This quick and easy roulade recipe results in a very impressive-looking dessert.
2. It is a great dessert option at any party: it serves up to 8 to 10 people.
3. This Pavlova roll cake is fully customizable: replace fresh raspberries with cherries or other fruits of your choice.
4. Naturally, this rolled meringue is gluten-free.

Ingredients

Here is a quick overview of what ingredients you will need. Follow the full recipe below for exact amounts and instructions. I recommend making the recipe as written for the best results.

Egg whites: use egg whites from large whole eggs. It is easy to separate egg whites from yolks while they are right from the fridge.

Use an egg separator or the old school eggshell method when you break the egg and pour the egg yolk from half of the shell to another half, allowing the white to drip through into a bowl. Let the egg whites get to room temperature before you start.

Sugar: use caster sugar. To make granulated sugar superfine, process it in a food processor for a few seconds.

Vanilla extract: Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract is the most full-flavored among other vanilla extracts. Use alcohol-free vanilla flavor if you desire. 

White wine vinegar: it helps stabilize the whisked egg whites so that the meringue retains its volume and keeps the air whisked into it. To replace it, use the same amount of lemon juice  cream of tartar.

Corn starch: it is an essential ingredient to make a meringue roulade. Corn starch with its long molecules prevents egg white proteins from clotting too much while the meringue is baking. It facilities the meringue rolling while assembling the dessert.

Whipping cream: use your favorite brand of whipping cream with at least 30%fat content.

Sour cream: replace it with mascapone if you prefer, but do not over mix the cream!

Icing sugar: make it yourself with a coffee grinder or use store-bought powdered sugar.

Rosewater: it brings floral flavor to the dessert. Rosewater, combined with vanilla, makes an enticing match in this meringue roulade.

Raspberries: the recipe calls for fresh seasonal raspberries. Frozen raspberries will not work in this recipe, but you can use fresh or frozen cherries instead. In this case, use drained, pitted, and wiped dry cherries.

Pistachios: choose toasted or raw pistachios to decorate the dessert.

How to make Pavlova roll

To make the meringue, preheat the oven to 320 F/160 C. Whisk egg whites with an electric mixer or a stand mixer until soft peaks.

Gradually add sugar and continue to whisk until the meringue becomes stiff and glossy.

Add vanilla extract, white wine vinegar, and corn starch and gently mix with a large metal spoon (photo 1).

Line a baking sheet 13 x 9.5 inches/33 x 24 cm with parchment paper extending paper 1 inch/2.5 cm over each side of the pan.

Secure paper to the pan with drops of the meringue at the corners (photo 2).

Spread the mixture inside the baking pan and level with a bent spatula (photo 3).

Bake for 30 minutes. Watch for the crust on top of the meringue. Once it forms, remove the meringue from the oven and let it cool (photo 4). 

To make the whipped cream, place whipping cream, sour cream, icing (powdered) sugar, rose water, and vanilla extract in a bowl and whisk with a hand whisk for about 3 to 4 minutes, until the cream starts holding its shape (photo 5). 

To assemble the rolled Pavlova, flip the meringue onto the parchment larger than the pan and gently peel off the lining paper from the base.

Spread the cream over the bottom side of the meringue, set aside a few spoons of cream for the decoration.

Arrange raspberries (reserve a few for the decor) on top of the cream, sprinkle with chopped pistachios (photo 6).

Roll the meringue, starting from the long edge, into a log. Use parchment paper as a guide to assist with rolling (photo 7).

Transfer the roulade onto a serving platter. Decorate the top of the cake with the cream, making waves. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Once ready to serve, decorate the roulade with the remaining raspberries and chopped toasted pistachios (photo 8) and sprinkle with icing (powdered) sugar.

Expert tips

1. Use an electric mixer to whip the cream, but keep your eye on it, not over whisk! 
2. Decorate the meringue roulade with fresh petals instead of fresh berries and nuts if you desire.

Frequently asked questions

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Recipe card

The recipe was adapted from https://ottolenghi.co.uk/. It was originally published on November 04, 2018. The recipe has been revised to include improved content and photos. All the posted pictures are mine.

The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.