Chestnut meringue roulade with hazelnut liqueur cream

Method

1. For the roulade, lightly butter and line a 23cm x 33cm swiss roll tin with baking paper. Preheat the oven to 160°C/fan140°C/gas 3.
2. For the filling, scoop the chestnut purée into a small pan and stir over a low heat until slightly warm. Add the 50g sugar and the vanilla bean paste/extract, then beat until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, cover and chill.
3. For the roulade, put the egg whites in a large, clean, dry mixing bowl and whisk using an electric hand mixer until stiff peaks form. Whisk in the 175g sugar, 1 tbsp at a time, to make a stiff and glossy meringue. Whisk in the cornflour, then the vinegar.
4. Spoon the mixture into the tin and spread it out into a thick, even layer, making sure it goes into the corners of the tin. Bake for 25 minutes.
5. Dust a large sheet of baking paper with plenty of icing sugar. Remove the meringue roulade from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 3-4 minutes. Carefully lift it out of the tin, peel the paper away from the sides and quickly flip it over onto the sugar-dusted paper. Carefully peel away the rest of the paper, then cool.
6. For the filling, whip the cream with the hazelnut liqueur and 1 tbsp icing sugar into soft, pillowy peaks. The cream should be spreadable but still hold its shape. Spread the cream over the roulade, leaving a 2.5cm strip along the long edge furthest from you. Spoon three quarters of the chilled purée in dollops over the surface of the cream and lightly marble together (see picture, top left). Scatter over the chopped chestnuts.
7. Starting with the long edge closest to you and using the paper to help you, carefully roll up the roulade so that the seam ends up underneath. If you tuck about 4cm of the long edge firmly down into the cream as you start to roll it up, it will make the finished roll neater and more secure.
8. Transfer the roulade to a board or serving plate, dust with more icing sugar and cut crossways into thick slices. Serve with a small spoonful of the reserved chestnut purée filling.