LEMON MERINGUE CUPCAKEAS

LEMON MERINGUE CUPCAKES

(Makes 24 cupcakes)

These small delights have a strong lemon flavour. They look spectacular!

500 ml (260 g)             cake flour

15 ml                           baking powder

2 ml                             salt

325 ml (260 g)             sugar

4                                  eggs, separated

120 ml                         sunflower oil

10 ml                           finely grated lemon rind

150 ml                         water

50 ml                           lemon juice

1 quantity                    Lemon Curd

1 quantity                    Italian Meringue

METHOD:

• Preheat the oven to 170 °C. Line cupcake pans with 24 cupcake paper cups
• Sift the cake flour, baking powder, salt and 200 ml (160 g) of the sugar together in a mixing bowl.
• In a separate bowl, mix together the egg yolks, oil, lemon rind, water and lemon juice.
• Beat the egg whites to the soft peak stage and add the remaining 125 ml (100 g) sugar. Beat for another 2 minutes.
• Add the egg yolk mixture to the dry ingredients and mix to make the batter
• Fold the egg whites gently into the batter
• Spoon the batter into the prepared pans and bake for about 15 minutes.
• Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
• When the cupcakes are cool, cut out a small cone in the centre of each one and fill with 15 ml lemon curd.
• Pipe or top generously with the Italian meringue and scorch with a blowtorch.

Lemon curd

(The curd will stay fresh for about 4 days in the fridge)

3          eggs

3          egg yolks

200 g    castor sugar

            finely grated rind of 1 lemon

180 ml  lemon juice

160 g    butter, cubed

METHOD:

• Beat together the eggs, yoks, castor sugar, rind and lemon juice in a saucepan.
• Place the saucepan on the stove on low heat, add half of the butter and whisk all the time until the curd thickens and reach boiling point.  
• Remove from the heat and add the rest of the butter.Whisk until the butter has melted.
• Pour the curd into a glass bowl and cover the surface with cling film.Allow to come to room temperature then store in the fridge overnight to firm up

Italian Meringue

225 ml  sugar (180g)

1 ml      salt

100 ml  water

3          egg whites

METHOD:

• Dissolve the sugar and salt in the water and bring the sugar syrup to the boil. (do not boil before all the sugar is dissolved)
• Use a sugar thermometer and boil the syrup to 118°C – when the temperature reaches 112°C start beating the egg whites so long. The egg whites must be beaten to the stiff peak stage
• Add the hot syrup slowly to the beaten egg whites whilst continuing to beat at a high speed – the whole process must take about 3 minutes and then you can continue beating the hot meringue to cool down slightly
• Spoon into a piping bag.