It has been a fantastic year for strawberries. Just perfect weather. I am sure most of you could not resist stopping to buy from one of the many people at the roadside selling beautiful Irish strawberries.

This meringue roulade is a refreshing light dessert while the passion fruit seeds give it great crunch. Look for passion fruit with smoother skin for freshness. This fruit is also great with natural yoghurt for breakfast topped off with granola.

Avoca do a lovely lemon curd and I am continuing to buy my vanilla pods online at vanillabazaar.com. I have not found better value or quality.

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You can get very good readymade custard these days but nothing really beats your own. This is a recipe that lots of people tell me they have cut out to use again and again.

You will get a Madeira cake in any good bakery. And if ever there was a year to make your own strawberry jam this is it. Otherwise it is hard to beat Follain.

I always keep a bottle of Crème de Cassis handy. Adding a little to prosecco makes for a delicious kir and it is also lovely added to duck sauce.

Happy cooking!

THIS WEEK’S RECIPES

STRAWBERRY AND PASSION FRUIT MERINGUE ROULADE

Serves eight

4 egg whites

Pinch of salt

200g golden caster sugar

200g lemon curd

3 passion fruit, halved open

150ml cream

Seeds from one vanilla pod

200g strawberries, hull and chop half of

them and keep the rest whole

Icing sugar for dusting

1 Heat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Line a swiss roll tin with parchment paper. Whisk the egg whites and salt until stiff. Slowly add the sugar, continuing to whisk until stiff and glossy. Spoon the mixture onto the swiss roll tin and spread evenly. Bake for 15 minutes until crisp on the outside. Remove and cool completely.

2. Lay a piece of parchment paper just bigger than the tin out on a surface. Lift the meringue out and flip it over onto it. Carefully pull away the used paper and discard. Spread the lemon curd over the meringue roulade and spoon the passion fruit evenly all over.

3. Whip the cream with the vanilla seeds and spread on top also. Scatter the chopped strawberries all over.

4. Roll the meringue up, using the paper to help lift and roll it. Transfer to a serving plate, carefully placing it seam side down.

5. Dust with icing sugar and garnish with the whole strawberries.

STRAWBERRY TRIFLE

Serves six

350g madeira cake

A couple of tbsp quality strawberry jam

3 tbsp crème de cassis

400g strawberries, sliced

1 tbsp golden syrup

250ml whipped cream

FOR THE CUSTARD

Vanilla custard

1 pt milk

6 egg yolks

100g caster sugar

1 vanilla pod, seeds removed

2 tbsp corn flour

1. Heat the milk in a saucepan with the vanilla pods. Bring to the boil then remove. In a bowl beat together the egg yolks, vanilla seeds, sugar and cornflour. Mix well then pour the heated milk over the egg mixture beating well.

2. Return the mixture to the saucepan over a low heat stirring for about four to five minutes until the mixture begins to thicken. Remove and pour into a container and cool for the trifle.

3. Slice the cake and sandwich together with jam. Cut into cubes. Place the strawberries into a bowl. Spoon the golden syrup and crème de cassis over. Leave for 30 minutes to infuse.

4. Divide the cake mixture between six glasses and spoon the strawberries and juice over the top with a layer of custard and a layer of whipped cream. Decorate with strawberries.