LEMON MERINGUE CUPCAKES (WITH 7 MINUTE MERINGUE FROSTING)

LEMON MERINGUE CUPCAKES

(Makes 24 cupcakes)

LEMON CUPCAKES

380 g   cake flour (730 ml)

300 g   sugar (375 ml)

7,5 ml  bicarbonate of soda

2,5 ml salt

3          eggs

300 ml sunflower oil

            zest of one large lemon

375 ml amasi or buttermilk

30 ml   lemon juice

METHOD:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C and line 2 cupcake pans with papers
• Sieve together the cake flour, sugar, bicarbonate of soda and the salt.
• In another bowl – mix together the eggs, oil, amasi, lemon juice and the zest.
• Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix it very well to make the batter
• Spoon the batter into the prepared cupcake pans and bake for ±20 minutes until cooked

• 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 Meringue and scorch with a blowtorch.

VARIATION:

Use a lemon buttercream instead of the Meringue to pipe on top of the lemoncurd filled cupcakes

LEMONCURD

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

3          eggs

3          egg yolks

250 ml castor sugar

            finely grated zest of 1 lemon

180 ml lemon juice

160 g   butter, cubed

25 ml   cornflour mixed with 30 ml water to make a paste

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 gently 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 to firm up. 

MERINGUE 7 MINUTE FROSTING

2          egg whites

125 ml castor sugar  

1 ml     cream of tartar

            pinch of salt

2,5 ml  vanilla extract

METHOD:

• Combine the egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, salt and vanilla in a bowl and place on a saucepan with simmering water. The bottom of the bowl must NOT touch the water. 
• Use an electric hand mixer and whisk the mixture for 7 minutes on high speed over the simmering water until the sugar has dissolved, the mixture is hot to the touch and you have stiff, glossy peaks of meringue.
• Spread on cake or spoon into a pipping bag and use immediately