Easter Sunday is a time for a celebration meal. An extravagant one. One that doesn't happen often in the year. Christmas, Boxing Day, birthdays, and Easter.
So it's no surprise that this pudding that was a family Boxing Day tradition has gradually migrated to Easter over the years. It fits both perfectly well. I'd happily eat it all year round. A bright, light, creamy, acidic passionfruit roulade.
Nigel Slater places the roulade on Boxing Day in his Kitchen Diaries. It's the perfect pudding for a holiday, as it does take a little while to prepare. And a lot of care.
The time consuming nature is only increased when you suddenly realise that the lemon curd you had intended to use actually went off in May 2012. Curd crisis. Crisis increased when I remembered all the lemons had gone into yesterday's lemon loaf cake. So lime it was. Adding another half hour to the journey time, but totally worth it, and actually to be recommended. I followed this very simple recipe which did the trick (when doubled in quantity), and all the leftovers were enjoyed as breakfast the next morning. Crisis averted and turned into a happy improvement.
Rolling this roulade, the final, crucial step, is nerve-wracking. I admit to not breathing while doing this. Very un-yogic of me. I also find this is best done with a glass of wine placed somewhere nearby in case of a disaster. Also very un-yogic of me. But my best advice is to be gentle yet also - as Nigel says - 'forthright'. No one minds a crack here and there. It will taste just as good, and you will have more of that homemade, rustic farmhouse vibe so sought after in the blogosphere. Yum.
The recipe can be found here. Along with a lot of other fabulous words and recipes.
