“The sweetness of the meringue and the tart gooseberries are a marriage made in heaven.”

Ingredients
Serves 6-8

•    5 large free-range eggs
•    280g (10 oz) caster sugar
•    55g (2 oz) flaked almonds

For the filling:
•    225g (8 oz) gooseberries, tipped and tailed
•    2 tbsp caster sugar
•    2 heads of elderflowers, washed, or use elderflower cordial
•    300ml (10 fl oz) double cream, whipped


Method

First make the gooseberry filling by placing the fruit in an AGA saucepan with the sugar, elderflowers and 2 tablespoons of water.  Heat on the simmering plate for about 2 minutes then transfer to the simmering oven for 20-30 minutes until soft.  Remove the elderflowers and allow to cool, then chill until required.

Line a full-size AGA baking tray with Bake-O-Glide.  Whisk the egg whites until stiff and then add the sugar a teaspoon at a time, with the kMix machine running at full speed.  Spread onto the baking tray and level out.  Sprinkle with the flaked almonds.

2,3 and 4 oven AGA: Bake on the grid shelf on the floor of the roasting oven with a cold shelf on the third set of runners down.  Cook for approx 8 minutes until pale and firm to touch, then transfer to centre of the simmering oven and cook for a further 20 minutes until firm.

3 and 4 oven AGA: Alternative from above, cook in the centre of the baking oven for about 20 minutes until firm.

Conventional cooking: Bake in the centre of a pre-heated oven at 220°C (425°F), Gas Mark 7.  Cook the meringue for 10 minutes then reduce the oven to 160°C (325°F), Gas Mark 3 for approx 15 minutes until firm.

Remove from the tray and allow it to cool.  Turn out onto a clean sugared cloth and remove the Bake-O-Glide.  Spread the cream onto the meringue, lightly spread over the gooseberry compote and roll up along the longest edge using the cloth to form the roulade.  Chill before serving.