suemunzlinger's Recipe

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes (Australian)

Category: Cupcakes

Since this is from Australia, I left it in grams and converted it.

*Castor sugar is a superfine sugar. You can make your own caster sugar by using regular, granulated sugar, if you can not find superfine in the store. Measure out the required amount of sugar into your food processor and pulse for about 10 seconds until the sugar is superfine but not powdery. Allow the sugar to settle in the container for a few minutes before removing the lid.




Cupcakes

250ml /(1 cup) pure cream
220g /(1 cup) caster sugar*
2 eggs, lightly beaten
225g/ (1 1/2 cups) self raising flour
Finely grated rind of 1 lemon

Lemon curd ***
125ml/(1/2 cup) lemon juice
100g butter (7 tablespoons)
110g/ (1/2) cup caster sugar
1 egg
3 egg yolks

Meringue
3 egg whites
110g/ (1/2 cup) caster sugar

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180C.(356 F) Place 12 patty cake (cupcake) liners in a 12 hole 1/2-cup capacity muffin pan.

2. Place cream, sugar and eggs in a large mixing bowl and whisk until smooth. Gradually add flour and zest and continue whisking until mixture is thick and smooth.
3. Divide mixture between prepared liners and bake for 15-20 minutes or until cakes spring back to touch. Cool in muffin pan.
4. For lemon curd, heat lemon juice and butter in a small saucepan and simmer until butter has melted. Add sugar, egg and yolks and cook, whisking continuously until mixture becomes thick and glossy. Pour into a shallow bowl to cool.
5. For meringue, beat egg whites in an electric mixer until firm peaks form, gradually add sugar, a tablespoon at a time, beating until sugar has dissolved between each addition. Spoon meringue mixture into a piping bag.
6. To serve, preheat grill (broiler) to medium-high. Cut a hole** in each cupcake and fill with 1-2 teaspoons of lemon curd. Pipe a swirl of meringue mixture on the top of each cupcake and place under heated grill ( broiler)for 60-90 seconds or until brown.


**One way to cut a hole. It gives you the maximum amount of filling and the best overall look for the cupcake. All you need is a paring knife, or other small, sharp knife with a narrow blade, to begin. Insert the knife into a cooled cupcake at an angle, halfway between the center and the outside edge. Cut out a cone shape piece of cake. Cut off the bottom of the cone shaped piece and leave the tops that you can put back on the cupcake after you fill it. If you make a lot of filled cupcakes you can purchase a Wilton tip that you can attach to a piping bag and fill cupcakes. I bought one at Walmarts.

*** You can use Lemon Pudding made according to package directions, if you do not want to make Lemon Curd. Everyone I knew made lemon curd in Australia. But then, there were a lot of lemon trees in our neighborhood.

Thanks Isabella