Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• Lemon Cupcakes:
  • 100 g unsalted butter, very softened or melted cooled
  • 120 g caster sugar - white
  • 2 eggs, medium at room temperature
  • 2 tsp vanilla, liquid or powder
  • ½ lemon juice + zest, approx. 15ml
  • 160 g flour, T45
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp fine salt
  • 120 ml semi-skimmed milk
• Lemon curd:
  • Make my lemon curd recipe
• Swiss Meringue:
  • 4 egg whites
  • 200 g caster sugar - white
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 pinch of salt

Instructions:

Lemon Cupcakes:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a standard cupcake tin with paper cases.
2. In a bowl, mix and sift together the dry ingredients, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a large bowl or in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the pastry whisk, beat the softened butter with the caster sugar and the zest of half a lemon for about 3 minutes until you obtain a smooth and creamy mixture.
4. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat again for 3 minutes on high speed until the mixture is thick.
5. Add the dry ingredient mixture to the milk and lemon juice mixture in several batches and alternately until you obtain a smooth cake batter.
6. Pour the batter into the paper cases, filling them ¾ full.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for about 18 minutes until golden on top and cooked through in the center. (Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of a cupcake; it should come out clean. )
8. Let the cupcakes cool for a few minutes before removing them from the molds and letting them cool completely on a cake rack.

Lemon curd:

1. Follow my lemon curd recipe (use your leftover egg yolks from the Swiss meringue and top with 1 large egg), then let it cool completely.

Swiss Meringue:

1. Place the egg whites with the sugar in a heatproof bowl or in the bowl of your stand mixer.
2. Place the bowl in a saucepan containing a little water heated over medium heat and cook in a bain-marie for 4 minutes, stirring constantly, until the sugar is completely dissolved. (The mixture should reach 55°. )
3. Transfer the mixture into the bowl of your mixer or place the bowl on the base of your food processor fitted with the pastry whisk.
4. Whip for about 7 to 10 minutes until you have a firm, glossy meringue.
5. Place the meringue in a large piping bag fitted with a round tip and decorate the tops of the cupcakes in swirls.
6. Torch the meringue using a blowtorch, then let the cupcakes cool for 1 hour in the fridge before serving.

Enjoy your delicious lemon cupcakes!