Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

As we welcome Masterchef Australia back for its fourth season, let's commemorate with a delightful recipe by Isabella, from Junior Masterchef! The final results see a moist cake with bursts of flavour from the lemon curd, finished off with a pretty mountain of creamy, velvety meringue. You'd be crazy to resist!

Cupcakes:
- 1 cup pure cream
- 1 cup caster sugar
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1½ cups self-raising flour
- Finely grated rind of 1 lemon

Lemon Curd:
- ½ cup lemon juice
- 100g butter
- ½ cup caster sugar
- 1 egg
- 3 egg yolks

Meringue:
- 3 egg whites
- ½ cup caster sugar

Preheat oven to 180°C. Place 12 patty cake liners in a 12 hole ½-cup capacity muffin pan. Place cream, sugar and eggs in a large mixing bowl and whisk until smooth. Gradually add the flour and lemon zest and continue whisking until the mixture becomes thick and smooth.

Divide mixture between prepared liners and bake for 15-20 minutes or until cakes spring back to touch. Cool in muffin pan.

 

For the 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. Taste, and adjust with extra sugar or lemon if necessary. Pour into a shallow dish to cool.

For the 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.

To serve, preheat grill to medium-high. Cut a small hole in the top of 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 the heated grill for 1 minute, or until golden. Serve while warm and enjoy! :)

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes