Guest chef: Julie Goodwin’s Banoffee Pavlova Roulade

This family favourite is easier than it looks.

Banoffee pavlova roulade. Picture: Steve Brown

This family favourite is easier than it looks. If you wish, sweeten the cream with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon icing sugar.

BANOFFEE PAVLOVA ROULADE

8 egg whites

2 cups caster sugar

1 tablespoon cornflour, extra for sprinkling

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

600ml thickened cream, whipped

4 ripe bananas, sliced 0.5cm thick

For the caramel sauce

125g butter

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup thickened cream

For the candied macadamias

½ cup macadamia nut pieces

¼ cup icing sugar

Preheat oven to 160°C. Grease and line a 26 x 34cm baking tray with baking paper. With an electric mixer, whip egg whites, adding sugar a bit at a time until soft peaks form. Sprinkle over cornflour, vinegar and vanilla and gently fold through egg whites until combined. Spread mixture evenly onto lined tray and bake for 20 minutes, or until firm. Allow meringue to cool for 5 minutes. Sprinkle a fresh sheet of baking paper with cornflour and place over a clean tea towel on the bench. Carefully invert baking tray onto paper-lined tea towel. Remove baking paper from the bottom of the meringue. Spread half the cream along the long edge of meringue closest to you. Press half the sliced bananas into cream. Using the paper-lined tea towel as an aid, roll meringue over cream until it looks like a log. Lift onto the serving plate with the join at the bottom.

For the caramel sauce, place a large frypan over medium heat and melt butter and brown sugar together. Add cream to pan and bring to the boil, stirring, for 2 minutes or until slightly thickened.

For the candied macadamias, place nuts and icing sugar in a frypan over medium-high heat. Stir until icing sugar melts and turns golden. Stir to coat evenly and tip mixture onto a paper-lined tray. Allow to cool; gently crush a little.

Before serving, spread remaining cream over roulade and top with remaining banana. Drizzle with caramel sauce and sprinkle with macadamias. Serves 10-12

Guest chef Julie Goodwin

Julie Goodwin won MasterChef Australia in 2009. Recipe from Julie Goodwin’s Essential Cookbook (Hachette Australia, $39.99).