CHRISTINE CAPENDALE
CHRISTINE CAPENDALE
CHRISTINE CAPENDALE

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

1

  • Overview
  • Ingredients
    9 items
  • Directions

Lemon-flavored cupcakes with a lemon curd filling and topped with Italian meringue, creating a delightful treat.

Cupcakes

  • 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 freshy squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 quantity Lemon Curd – make your own or store bought (recipe below)
  • 1 quantity Italian Meringue (recipe below)

VARIATION:

Use a lemon buttercream instead of Italian 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
  • 200 g   castor sugar
  •             finely grated rind of 1 lemon
  • 180 ml lemon juice
  • 160 g   butter, cubed

 

Italian meringue

  • 450 ml (360 g) sugar
  • 1 ml salt
  • 200 ml water
  • 5 egg whites

  • Preheat the oven to 170 °C. Line cupcake pans with 24 cupcake paper cups OR grease cupcake pans very well if you don’t want to use the 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 into 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 15-18 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.

 

Lemoncurd 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 method

  • Dissolve the sugar and salt in the water in a saucepan on medium heat nd bring the sugar syrup to the boil. Do not let it boil before all the sugar has 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 but do not beat it until it is dry.
  • When the syrup reaches 118 °C, slowly add the very hot syrup to the beaten egg whites while you continue to beat at high speed. The whole process should take about 3 minutes and then you can continue beating the hot meringue until it cools slightly. (Note: the meringue must still be slightly warm when you use it)