Mini Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

by Leave a Comment

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

I think I’m in love with the taste of lemon.  I love lamb chops with LOTS of lemon juice and I love lemon juice in my tea.  I LOVE lemonade and great lemon curd.  YUMMY!

Lately I’ve been fascinated with everything bite size.  Bite size snacks, bite size cupcakes, bite size food.  Isn’t it great when you can eat something sweet and it was just the right amount that you could get seconds without feeling sick.  Yes, please!

I decided to make Mini Lemon Meringue Cupcakes.  I’ve got the perfect vanilla cupcake recipe for it and bought great lemon curd.  (I’m definitely making my own Lemon Curd next time and sharing the recipe.)  And a light Italian Meringue Frosting will do this yummy treat justice. 

I’ve always wanted to try an Italian Meringue Frosting.  I have to admit that making this frosting was not that easy at first.  It was kind of a case of ‘third time lucky’ for me.  But it is certainly worth the effort.  This Italian Meringue Frosting is delish!  Keep reading for the recipe.

You will need a candy thermometer to do this or know what the soft ball stage is.  If you don’t have a candy thermometer and you also don’t know what the ‘soft ball stage’ is, don’t panic I’m going to talk you through it. 

The soft ball stage is when you can take a drop of your sugar syrup and place it into a bowl of cold water, it should form a malleable ball when gathered with your fingers to take out of the water.  source

Italian Meringue Frosting

Yield: 2-3 cups

3 large egg whites, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
pinch of cream of tartar
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract

 Instructions:

Add your sugar, water, cream of tartar and salt to a pot on the stove on medium heat.  
Stir until sugar has dissolved and then bring to a boil.  

Italian Meringue

The soft ball stage is when the syrup reaches a temperature of  113-118 °C (235-245 °F).  I got up to 110 °C when I decided to take my syrup off the heat.  You don’t want your syrup to change colour or you’ll sit with caramel instead.  

While you wait for the soft ball stage.  Whisk your egg whites with an electric mixer.  Use the whisk attachment if you are using a stand alone mixer.  Whisk until soft peaks form.

When your sugar syrup is ready you are going to temper the egg whites.  This means to slowly bring the egg whites to the right temperature without causing it to scramble.  Be patient with this step.  Drizzle the hot syrup down the side of the bowl while mixing the whole time. 

Italian Meringue

When all the syrup is incorporated and the mixture looks thick and creamy with soft peaks – you have done it.  Congratulations!!  Have a taste now and see why you where so patient and careful all this time.  It should taste similar to the center filling of a ‘sweetie pie’ but with a lighter, glossier texture!  Mmmm…YUM!  

Here’s how I put my mini cupcakes together followed by the Vanilla Cupcake Recipe.

Just a tip to get your mini cupcakes looking amazing when they come out of the oven. 

Don’t take your cupcakes out of the oven too soon or they will sink in the middle.  Rather bake them a little longer on lower heat to get them to rise evenly.

See  the example below: 

cup cakes tip

 After you’ve baked your perfectly moist mini cupcakes, leave them to cool.  Once they are cool you can hollow them out a little bit.  Not too much as you still want something left of your yummy cupcake.  Just make a little nest for your lemon curd.  

cup cakes

 Then fill with lemon curd and pipe on your Italian Meringue Frosting. 

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

Now to finish off your perfect Mini Lemon Meringue cupcakes you can toast it just a little with your kitchen torch.  It really makes them look great.  

Enjoy your mini mouthful of happiness.

Mini Lemon Meringue Cupcakes
Yields 36
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
20 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
20 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 cup (250 ml) granulated sugar
  2. 2 cups (500 ml) cake flour
  3. 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  4. 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  5. 1/2 teaspoon salt
  6. 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  7. 1/4 cup canola oil or vegetable oil
  8. 2 large eggs, room temperature
  9. 1/3 cup full-fat sour cream (Creme Fraiche)
  10. 2/3 cup full cream milk
  11. 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 170 °C (338 °F)
  2. In a bowl or a stand mixer, mix together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt.
  3. Add butter and mix on medium-low speed for three minutes. You'll end up with a very fine crumb texture.
  4. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, sour cream, oil, and vanilla extract until smooth.
  5. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined.
  6. Slowly add milk and mix on low speed until just combined. The batter will be liquid and appears lumpy. (Don't worry, you didn't do anything wrong.)
  7. Fill your mini cupcake liners with a teaspoon of batter each.
  8. Bake for 10 minutes. Because ovens very you can test your cupcake after 8 minutes. They are ready when a toothpick comes out without wet batter stuck to it.
  9. When the cupcakes are done, remove them from the tins and leave them on a cooling rack to cool.
Notes
  1. If you have time. Bake a test cupcake before baking your whole batch. Because our ovens are all so different it will be worth your while testing the time you need to get your cupcake just right.
Sweet Monty http://sweetmonty.co.za/

Lemon Meringue Pie

by 4 Comments

Lemon Meringue Pie

I wish you could see the excitement on my face right now.  This is my first post since I took on this exciting challenge of joining the blogging world and I have made the Ultimate Lemon Meringue Pie.  I am so proud of it!!

 There is just something about this cost effective yet classic pie that makes you feel like you are at a royal tea party.

A Lemon Meringue Pie with the perfect balance between ‘sweet and tangy’ is hard to find.  You know, the one with a soft, light crown and crunchy, crumble base sandwiching that perfect golden centre – that’s the one I’m talking about. YUM!!

I am about to reveal the Ultimate Lemon Meringue Pie recipe inspired by Granny Geej.  But before I do, Granny Geej is the matriarch of our family.  She is a loving person and this Lemon Meringue reminds of her soft, sweet, strong personality.  She gave me this handwritten Lemon Meringue Pie recipe a couple of years ago and instructed me to keep it safe.  The best thing about sharing this great recipe with you is that it can be made again and again and trust me you are going to make it over and over AGAIN.  Savour this loving Pie.

Slice Lemon Meringue Pie

You will want to take this classic dessert pie with you to your next dinner party or lunch time braai with your besties and it WILL WOW them…

See the recipe below for making this beautiful Lemon Meringue Pie.  Have fun making it and whether you are enjoying it with your lovely family or ‘wowing’ your besties, be proud of yourself because you have created perfection.

 Lemon Meringue Pie Steps

Lemon Meringue Pie
Serves 8
A delicious Lemon Meringue Pie. A true classic.
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
35 min
Total Time
45 min
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
35 min
Total Time
45 min
For the base
  1. 200 g (1 pack) digestive biscuits - I used oatmeal biscuits covered in yoghurt from Woolworths
  2. 90 g butter (melted)
  3. 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  4. 1 teaspoon lemon juice
For the filling
  1. 1 tin (385 g) condensed milk
  2. 1/2 cup (125 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
  3. 4 egg yolks
For the Meringue
  1. 4 egg whites
  2. 1/2 cup (125 ml) caster sugar
  3. 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  4. 3 teaspoons cornflour (to sieve over baked filling)
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C (356 °F)
For the base
  1. Mix together biscuits, butter, lemon zest and lemon juice. You can use a food processor to get a nice fine crumb. I crumbed the biscuits myself and quite liked the texture. The tangy yoghurt coating in this digestive biscuit really does the trick here.
  2. Press mixture into a greased loose bottom tart pan.
For the filling
  1. Mix together condensed milk, 1/2 cup lemon juice and 4 egg yolks.
  2. Pour into your base and bake at 180 °C (356 °F) for 20 minutes.
For the Meringue
  1. Read the tips below before starting the meringue.
  2. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. While gradually adding the sugar.
  3. Fold in 1 teaspoon lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon baking powder.
  4. After 20 minutes take the baked filling out and turn the oven down to 150 °C (302 °F).
  5. Sieve 3 teaspoons cornflour over baked filling.
  6. Immediately pile/pipe meringue on top and bake for 10-15 minutes.
  7. Turn oven off and leave pie in oven for another 10 minutes.
  8. Open door slightly and leave to cool completely.
Great Tips
  1. Heat lemons for 20 seconds in the microwave to make squeezing it a lot easier.
  2. Make sure you don't over beat your egg whites.
  3. Separate eggs cold out of the fridge. Egg whites hold better when cold.
  4. Make sure your bowls and utensils are clean since a single bit of fat or egg yolk will interfere with the formation of foam. Yes, no digging around for that lost shell with your oily fingers.
  5. After separating egg whites leave to warm up to room temperature (about 30 min) to ensure volume when beating.
  6. Start adding sugar after egg whites have formed soft peaks. Not before you start beating.
  7. Lemon Meringue is best served on the day it's baked. It's so good there is no reason why you should have any left over for the next day.
  8. Keep your Lemon Meringue at room temperature and NOT in the fridge.
Adapted from Granny Geej
Adapted from Granny Geej
Sweet Monty http://sweetmonty.co.za/