Little Lemon Meringue Cakes

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.
11. Using a chef’s blow torch, lightly colour outside of meringue. Serve.

Tip: Chefs blow torches can be purchased from good kitchenware stores.