Meringue swiss roll with fresh raspberries and baked apples

Happy weekend! While it may be tempting to hibernate or drag your comforter all around your house with you (believe me, I tried!), weekends are the best time for exploring, enjoying, and treating yourself and your family.

Everyone in my family – and almost everyone among my friends – loves meringue. Growing up, I remember a meringue cake, called Polet or Flight because of it’s perceived lightness, always being the festive dessert of choice.

This is truly a lighter, playful meringue dish making the most of my favorite ingredient – fruit. Ginger Crisp apples are a new favorite variety of mine, with just the right amount of tartness.

You’ll need:

• 3 egg whites
• 2/3 cups of sugar + 1 t
• 2 T confectioners sugar
• 1 pint raspberries
• 2 large ginger crisp apples

1.Preheat oven to 340F. Bake the apples until soft, scoop out the flesh into a bowl and cool.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or with a hand mixer), whip the egg whites to stiff peaks, then slowly add in 2/3 cups of sugar and mix until firm.

3. Spread the meringue on a silpat using a spatula into an 8×12 rectangle and bake for about 20 minutes until set on the side and tops and just lightly warm-toasty golden brown. In the meantime, sprinkle raspberries with 1 t sugar, let sit for 5-10 minutes, then mash lightly with a fork.

4. Cool, sprinkle with powdered sugar and turn out onto a piece of parchment. Spread apple puree followed by the fresh raspberries filling on top of the meringue and roll up carefully, using the parchment to help guide you along.

5. Let set slightly (you can roll it tighter with cling film if you want to serve it a little later) and cut into generous slices – it will slice very easily and the filling will ooze out slightly – delicious.