42
PAge heAder.....DESSERTS
LITTLE LEMON MERINGUE CAKES
Uses the small and large bowls: Makes 8
INGREDIENTS
Cake
1 ¼ cups (175g) plain flour
1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
150g unsalted butter, room temperature
¾ cup (165g) caster sugar
½ cup (125ml) pouring cream
3 egg yolks
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Lemon Curd
1 egg
2 egg yolks
90g caster sugar
finely grated rind of 1 lemon
1
⁄3 cup (80ml) lemon juice
70g chilled butter
Swiss Meringue
3 eggs whites (105g)
¾ cup (165g) caster sugar
Pinch cream of tartar
METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 160°C fan forced. Grease
and line a (25cm x 30cm) lamington pan
with baking paper.
2. Sift flour and baking powder together;
set aside.
3. Assemble mixer with the scraper beater
and the large mixer bowl. Add butter
and sugar to bowl. Slowly turn mixer to
CREAM/BEAT for 3–4 minutes or until
pale and creamy.
4. Combine cream, eggs and vanilla in
a jug. Reduce speed and add half the
liquid mixture, then half the flour
mixture then repeat with the liquid and
flour. Don’t over mix. Spread mixture
into prepared pan.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes
or until a skewer inserted in centre
comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes
before turning out onto a wire rack
lined with baking paper. Leave turned
upside down.
6. Meanwhile to make the lemon curd: Beat
the egg, egg yolk and strain into a heat
proof bowl. Whisk through sugar, lemon
rind and juice and butter.
7. Place bowl over a saucepan of
simmering water, making sure the base
of the bowl does not touch the water.
Stir the mixture over simmering water
for about 15–20 minutes, or until curd
has thickened.
8. Transfer to another bowl, cover with
plastic wrap with a small side of the bowl
uncovered to allow steam to escape and
refrigerate until cold.
9. When ready to assemble make the
meringue. Place egg whites, sugar
and cream of tartar into the small
mixer bowl. Place bowl carefully into
a saucepan of simmering water and
gently whisk for 3–4 minutes or until the
sugar has dissolved and the mixture has
warmed through. Assemble the mixer
with the scraper whisk onto the mixer.
Whisk on the AERATE/WHIP for about
2 minutes or until mixture has thickened
but not too stiff.
10. To assemble, using a 5.5cm round cutter
cut 16 rounds from the cake. Spread
1–2 teaspoons of lemon curd onto half
of the rounds. With the remaining
rounds pipe or shape with a spoon,
approximately 2 tablespoons of
meringue onto each. Place meringue
rounds on top of lemon curd.
Using a chefs blow torch, lightly colour
outside of meringue. Serve
TIP
Chefs blow torches can be purchased
from good kitchenware stores.